Membership Directory - Individual
Andrew Summers
Head of Alternatives at Rathbones Investec Wealth and Asset Management
About
Bio: Andrew is West Country born and bred, but thanks to a handful of heroic teachers made a good transition from his local comprehensive school to studying PPE at Oxford University. After graduating, he joined the Goldman Sachs graduate programme, which culminated in a reluctant (but ultimately hugely rewarding) two years in Frankfurt.
Andrew returned to the UK and spend a further nine years at Goldman Sachs, most latterly as head of the asset management division's offshore funds product development team. In 2007 he moved to Investec Private Bank Wealth Management as Head of Product, a role that morphed in a very fast-changing organisation into Global Head of Product and Fund Research.
In 2011 Investec created Investec Wealth & Investment and integrated the recently acquired Rensburg Sheppards and then Williams de Broe into one of the largest UK wealth managers. Andrew's title changed to Head of Collectives and Fund Research. Today he heads a team of seven individuals that is responsible for £17bn of client investments in collective investment vehicles and funds.
Andrew says: "As a gay man in the financial services industry, I am probably quite normal in not feeling the need to hide who I am, but nor do I necessarily advertise it. To the extent that this reflects how I see myself (I am a man who happens to be gay), that seems reasonable. But more introspection reveals a more complicated picture. Have I ever compromised on being who I am to further my professional career? Probably. Has my personal and professional network ever been impeded by feeling unable to be totally honest about who I am? Almost certainly. I don't think I have ever been discriminated against because I am gay. But I wonder to what extent I could have gone further, faster, without the additional burden of having to navigate a rather straight' masculine world as a gay man. My own fault? Perhaps.
After all, as our role models proudly demonstrate, many LGBT+ professionals have achieved amazing things in their careers either despite being LGBT+ or with it having no impact whatsoever. However, my own slightly more nuanced story demonstrates the vital role that our role models can play. Confident, open and visible LGBT+ professionals can create an environment where being who you are is not something to be managed. It's not just about removing a barrier; it's about creating an environment where the very inherent value of diversity is celebrated."
Andrew returned to the UK and spend a further nine years at Goldman Sachs, most latterly as head of the asset management division's offshore funds product development team. In 2007 he moved to Investec Private Bank Wealth Management as Head of Product, a role that morphed in a very fast-changing organisation into Global Head of Product and Fund Research.
In 2011 Investec created Investec Wealth & Investment and integrated the recently acquired Rensburg Sheppards and then Williams de Broe into one of the largest UK wealth managers. Andrew's title changed to Head of Collectives and Fund Research. Today he heads a team of seven individuals that is responsible for £17bn of client investments in collective investment vehicles and funds.
Andrew says: "As a gay man in the financial services industry, I am probably quite normal in not feeling the need to hide who I am, but nor do I necessarily advertise it. To the extent that this reflects how I see myself (I am a man who happens to be gay), that seems reasonable. But more introspection reveals a more complicated picture. Have I ever compromised on being who I am to further my professional career? Probably. Has my personal and professional network ever been impeded by feeling unable to be totally honest about who I am? Almost certainly. I don't think I have ever been discriminated against because I am gay. But I wonder to what extent I could have gone further, faster, without the additional burden of having to navigate a rather straight' masculine world as a gay man. My own fault? Perhaps.
After all, as our role models proudly demonstrate, many LGBT+ professionals have achieved amazing things in their careers either despite being LGBT+ or with it having no impact whatsoever. However, my own slightly more nuanced story demonstrates the vital role that our role models can play. Confident, open and visible LGBT+ professionals can create an environment where being who you are is not something to be managed. It's not just about removing a barrier; it's about creating an environment where the very inherent value of diversity is celebrated."