Leaders List interview: 60 seconds with Stella Mitchell-Voisin

Date: 10 Jan 2024

Ashleigh John

This week’s 60-second piece is dedicated to Stella Mitchell-Voisin, CEO of Summit Trust International SA.

Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.

I am the CEO of Summit Trust International SA in Switzerland, and I have operational responsibility for the business as well as client responsibility – it’s nothing if not varied!

What does a typical day look like for you?

I don’t have a ‘typical day’, and generally no two days are the same. Often the unexpected will crop up and I will find myself doing something that I hadn’t planned on but you just have to get on with it. It does keep it interesting and you do need to be nimble and be able to juggle quite a lot of spinning plates!

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions.

I’ve recently returned from Mexico where I was visiting various charities that we support through one of the trusts that we manage. It was quite extraordinary in that we were caught in a roadblock for over 6 hours due to teachers striking and had to sleep half the night in the car (thank goodness for blacked out windows!). We eventually re-routed to a different town once the roadblock had cleared, and the following morning had to drive into a rainforest to visit a primary school that is in dire need of support. We were stopped at gunpoint by some fearsome looking vigilantes, who spoke sternly to our driver and then let us carry on …. I must admit I was rather glad to get back to the office!

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

Gosh the world is full of challenges at the moment. Huge generational wealth transfer, political uncertainty in the UK and US in particular, wars being raged on our doorstep and a difficult investment climate to boot. Being available to beneficiaries and settlors is so important as communication really is key when the landscape is so uncertain. Clients appreciate talking around issues and when knotty projects come up it is helpful if you have been part of the conversation from the outset.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Setting up Summit in 1999 (then called Close Trustees (Switzerland)) SA alongside 3 colleagues, Andrew, Daniel and Robin. Daniel, Robin and I all still work together and we have had a lot of fun along the way as well as our fair share of challenges. I am very proud indeed of all of the people that I work with who have contributed so much to the success and the culture of Summit.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

Excellent communication skills, integrity, an action bias (you do actually need to get things done!), confidence and problem solving ability.

Who do you most admire and why?

Nelson Mandela – what a tough life, but with perseverance peppered with humility, dignity and compassion he was a real champion of the people. I wish that I had been fortunate enough to meet him.

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

Mexico – as above!

If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?

Ooh definitely acting! I always wanted to be an actress but my career took a different turn. Perhaps that’s why I like speaking at conferences – it’s the closest I will get as a trustee!  

How do you relax after a long day?

That rather depends upon the day and how late it is, but I do like running and pilates to unwind. If that’s not an option a mindless novel that doesn’t require too much thinking is a good de-stresser, but if it’s a weekend at this time of year, a glass of good red and Strictly on the telly works wonders!

You can view Stella’s profile on the Leaders List here.