Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Marina Zevedeou, The Aspen Trust Group
This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Marina Zevedeou, CEO of Aspen Trust Group.
Citywealth speaks to Marina Zevedeou, CEO of Aspen Trust Group, who is responsible for managing the overall Group’s operations, marketing strategy and direction as well as external communications and network.
Tell Citywealth’s readers about your role.
- I am the CEO of Aspen Trust Group and I am responsible for managing the overall Group’s operations, marketing strategy and direction as well as external communications and network. I ensure the Group is always profitable, implementing decisions and managing well the Group’s resources and capital. We always focus on growth, risk, regulatory management, technology, innovation, people and culture.
- I am a Fellow Chartered Accountant of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales with PWC, London.
- I am also the President of Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) – Cyprus and the Cyprus Country Chair of G100 Global Trade Wing.
What is the biggest challenge you and your firm are currently facing?
The corporate environment is currently much more complex and demanding. New regulations are constantly evolving and the need to be up to date and manage them greater than ever before. It sometimes feels that we need to navigate through a minefield for business to flourish.
We, at The Aspen Trust Group, constantly invest in technology and internal controls and procedures always ensuring compliance towards the state and our clients. Our clients depend on our timely and efficient feedback, and they trust that this will be provided to them at all times.
How would your clients describe you?
My clients usually describe me as:
- extremely reliable, thoroughly professional and very competent
- efficient, proactive and always willing to get on a call if required
- well organized and aware of the legal and tax aspects of my field
- a member of the ‘family’ and a strategic partner
What are the most important skills and personal qualities to succeed in your role?
- Integrity and ethics
- Strong sense of duty
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- Emotional intelligence
- Forward thinking
- Collaboration
- Assertiveness & decisiveness
- Transparency
- Excellent organisation skills
- Perseverance
- Resilience
- Focus
- Empathy
I am a firm believer that we must always evolve and apply constructing criticism on ourselves so that we find the areas to grow. One of the most rewarding qualities I have is the mentoring approach I apply to my colleagues and employees.
Best and worst parts of your job.
Best parts of my job: leading the company’s decision-making process and overall direction, any decisions I make shape the company’s direction, growth, and culture; taking responsibility for the way forward; the satisfaction of a well-informed client communicated through emails/calls; ability to command change and implement it; mentoring professionals (associates, clients, employees) on the parts I have knowledge; seeing through the chaos and finding practical solutions to everyday problems.
Worst parts of my job: working with people who resist change; immense pressure to meet conflicting deadlines; finding the balance between personal and work life, working with negative thinkers.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given?
“Success, as beauty, is in the eye of the beholder and the art of doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways“
and my classic
“You may go under, you may go over, you may go through, but you never give up!!“
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