Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Mirek Gruna, IQ-EQ
This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Mirek Gruna, Regional Chief Commercial Officer, UK, Ireland and Crown Dependencies at IQ-EQ.
Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.
As Regional CCO for IQ-EQ in the UK, Ireland and Crown Dependencies, I cover several regulated businesses and a sizeable population of colleagues and clients across five jurisdictions. It’s an exciting role as it touches on all aspects of client management – from assisting the teams in winning new mandates to working on larger client relationships, as well as enhancing our service delivery through overseeing client planning; and all of this spanning all three of our key segments.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Every day is different and I enjoy the variety and expecting the unexpected. Since I’m based in Jersey, there are a lot of Jersey-related matters that I need to attend to, but I frequently travel to London and the other clusters in my region. The activities in each day can range from ensuring proper plans are put in place for our key business partners, to meeting key clients, attending to board director duties, etc.
Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you’ve received.
What is quite interesting is that some of our more recent client instructions have been those where private wealth clients venture into the funds space and want to set up, for example, a Jersey fund. In such a scenario, we need to act in a transversal way, crossing the traditional service segment lines and bringing together our funds and private wealth teams to work collaboratively on the assignment.
What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?
It varies between client segments. In the funds space, until very recently, the challenges faced by the promoters were mainly in the realm of slowed fundraising. In the private wealth space, the most recent challenge is of course the post UK Budget changes to the UK res non-dom regime. In the corporate space, it is the Pillar 2 regulation.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
I moved to Jersey just after I’d finished my legal qualification in the Czech Republic and have steadily worked hard on my career progression and I’m proud of my personal persistence.
What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?
Honesty and transparency but also vulnerability; the overstated grit and poker face in leadership can only take you so far.
Who do you most admire and why?
Rafael Nadal – I’ve been following his career basically since he started and until he retired earlier this year. Throughout his 20+ years as a tennis pro, he used over 1,250 rackets and never ever broke one!
Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?
Iceland – an absolutely fascinating place!
If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?
I’d go back to law probably, or try to be a tennis coach… in Mallorca 😊
How do you relax after a long day?
Gym, tennis, and spending time with my amazing family.
Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Severiano E. Ortiz, MNF Legal
This week's 60-second piece is dedicated to Severiano E. Ortiz, Managing Member at MNF Legal.
Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Lee Hart, Saffery Trust Cayman
This week's 60-second piece is dedicated to Lee Hart, Director of Saffery Trust Cayman.