Inside the Mind of a £30 Billion Portfolio Manager

Sean and Paul sit down with Stuart Clark, manager of Quilter’s Wealth Select managed portfolio service, to find out what it takes to oversee more than £30 billion of investors’ money. Stuart shares his journey from starting in the back office of a financial adviser to becoming a portfolio manager and helping grow Wealth Select from its launch in 2014 to more than £30 billion in assets. They discuss the responsibility that comes with managing such enormous sums, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who challenge your thinking, and why intelligence alone doesn’t necessarily make someone a great hire. Stuart also opens up about the personal side of success. He explains why portfolio management is a job he rarely switches off from, how he balances work with family life, and why running and cycling have become important ways of managing stress and processing information. Finally, Stuart shares some of the biggest lessons he has learned across more than a decade running the portfolios, including why investors should never become complacent, the importance of seeking opposing views and why the day he believes he knows everything will be the day he retires. 00:00 Managing More Than £30 Billion 00:45 From Back Office to Portfolio Manager 03:00 Growing From £0 to £30 Billion 04:40 The Responsibility of Managing £30bn 06:00 Building a World-Class Investment Team 09:30 Why Great Teams Need Disagreement 11:00 What Makes a Great Hire? 14:10 Why Culture Matters More Than Qualifications 16:00 How a £30bn Investment Team Actually Works 18:00 Can You Ever Really Switch Off? 20:00 Balancing Success, Work and Family 21:30 Exercise, Stress and Mental Health 23:40 The Biggest Lesson From 12 Years of Investing 25:00 Why Success Can Become Dangerous 26:00 Why You Never Stop Learning Beyond the Business is brought to you by MLP Wealth. Subscribe for more conversations on business, wealth, investing and the people behind them.