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Gatekeeper Profile of David Adkins |
Issued on: June 2010
Adkins is chief investment officer for The Pensions Trust. He is responsible for the trust’s investment service, heading the investment team that shapes the Pension Trust’s investment policies.
The Pensions Trust is one of the leading multi-employer occupational pension funds in the UK for the charitable, social, educational, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors. The Pensions Trust is an occupational pension fund with more than 60 years’ experience.It has assets of more than £3.9 billion and serves more than 4,300 employer organisations with in excess of 140,000 members.
How best to pitch
Be succinct in the proposition at the outset and be clear about what is the problem you think you are able to solve. Layer your delivery so that you build in the detail after the initial proposition. For example, at The Pensions Trust, being an umbrella organisation spanning a collection of individual schemes, we need investment services/ideas that can scale across schemes, yet be flexible enough that they will not be adopted by everyone.
How not to pitch
Being disorganised or under-prepared. Don’t dive into the detail too early. Not understanding the problem in question or the detail of what is wanted. Not doing the things in the ‘how best to pitch’.
Likes
Well-thought-out investment solutions that are practical as well as smart. Adkins likes people that come across as well organised and can articulate and work with sound processes, which turn good investment ideas into a reality.
Dislikes
Shoddy or unprofessional work. Anything that looks like it comes from a ‘just in time’ delivery approach. ‘Hand-wavers’ or big egos who espouse grand ideas but have no idea how to implement them. Use of jargon.
Final word
Be honest in your approach and in your communication. Adkins is generally tolerant of mistakes if they were unforeseen, but very intolerant if they arise through complacency, or lack of care, organisation or communication.
What do you value most in a wealth manager?
On a scale of one to five where five is the greatest
Relationship - five
Reporting - three
Strength of Process - two
Size of firm - one
Past performance - two