Case Study Profile: Andrew Stewart AMCT

Andrew Stewart Relationship Manager, Unit Stocking
Lombard (division of RBS Group)

I studied a Masters degree in mathematics, and financial services was a clear career choice for me. I joined RBS on a graduate programme following a summer internship during the final year of university. The experiences I had on that short internship showed me that I could combine development of my analytical skills in a finance environment and business skills in a top global business.

Role snapshot

My role involves development and management of a stocking finance portfolio, specifically in the caravan and motorhome sector, working with the top manufacturers and dealers in the market. My key responsibilities are: customer relationship management, income generation, balance sheet growth and risk management. Within this my key activities include: initial business contact, need identification, development, presentation and negotiation of products and terms. Financial/credit risk analysis is also important to ensure I am providing the right facilities to the right customer.

The skills important in my job are:

- customer relationship management - from understanding businesses to being a trusted business partner with customers and prospects. Working in a very specialist area, creating good relationships breeds new relationships and further facilities.
- understanding finance and risk - this is integral to understanding businesses and ensuring products are right for customers.

Why ACT qualifications?

Despite having a mathematics degree, I had little experience in financial services, and was keen to add a financial qualification to my CV. I was acutely aware that leaders of banks and major corporates require business and financial qualifications, and I didn’t want to restrict my future career by not having the right ones. At the stage I was at, I felt it would help my immediate career progression while I gained experience, as I had the skills on paper but not necessarily the practical knowhow.
I started the course a year after starting at RBS; just over a year after graduating to give myself a break from sitting exams!

Advantages to AMCT

AMCT is useful for banking and financial services professionals as it is written from the perspective of the corporate treasurer – a significant decision maker in major corporates. This allows me to consider finance, funding and risk options from their perspective rather than the bank’s.

Since taking AMCT, my advanced financial analysis skills have improved the quality of risk analysis in my portfolio. I now also have a better understanding of how the products I provide fit with other financing, and the benefits of those over others.

A good balance

It gives kudos to myself and the bank to have managers with treasury qualifications providing finance to customers, and ACT qualifications give a good balance between academic knowledge and practical applications. They also provide a good complement to a degree, and demonstrate that members have a level of competence and understanding in treasury.

AMCT has a good, rounded syllabus; a balanced workload for a recognised qualification. The structure of AMCT allows you to take it at a pace that works best for you and your business.