Pension People at Heart: Geordie Cox

Geordie Cox, Senior Investment Manager

Cardano is a massive supporter of people moving around within the business and finding their own way up. Few, however, have made quite such a leap as Senior Investment Manager Geordie Cox.

 

‘Where do you want to be in 10 years’ time?’ I remember being asked that in the interview for the City law firm I agreed to join back in 2009. I can’t recall my exact reply, but I’m fairly certain it wasn’t “in a different company, doing something completely different!”

 

I joined Cardano from that law firm in 2015 as a private funds lawyer. I spent two years advising the business on a range of things, from commercial and client contracts, to helping set up our Irish fund platform. My main focus was on working with our investment team to analyse and structure private equity and hedge fund investments.

From Lawyer to Investor

Through working closely with this team, I got a little lucky and was approached by the Head of Manager Research asking me to join them. The team is exceptional at what they do so I had loads to learn. I loved the culture. I’d always wanted to move closer to the investment side of things. The move made sense, albeit a bit of a jump!

I always think the best leaders are also the best cheerleaders. And my managers at Cardano have always been exactly that for me. They were super supportive and unfazed by the idea of a lawyer becoming an investor. As a business, they’re extremely thoughtful, people-focused and happy to take a contrarian view. I even remember Kerrin (our co-CEO) Keith (our Deputy CIO) and the head of manager research sitting down with me for an hour to do a SWOT analysis: me versus the new role! It was intense but it really gave me the confidence to make the leap across.  

Bringing a new perspective

The role has been a great fit. It allows me to leverage off my experience advising on private investments as a lawyer and coming from a different background helps me bring other perspectives to an investment – it stops me being a ‘dead fish’ and going with the flow all the time! It’s also challenged me to sprint up a huge learning curve. It has forced me to re-invent how I think – shifting from reducing risk as a lawyer to taking risk as an investor.

The best leaders are also the best cheerleaders and my managers at Cardano have always been exactly that”

It’s not all been plain sailing and something I’m continuing to work through, but it’s a journey I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. In huge part, that’s thanks to an amazingly supportive team to learn from and help me along the way.

I’m now spoilt as I not only get to work with a fantastic Cardano manager research team who are amazing at what they do but also to sit across the table from enormously bright and thoughtful investment teams. It’s a combination that gives me the chance to challenge and learn from some of the best investors in the world on a daily basis.

Investment innovation and growth

Now a senior investment manager focused on private market investments, I source and invest in new private market investments for clients, co-chair our private market portfolio construction committee overseeing clients’ portfolios and help our client team keep clients informed. I’m also a spokesperson for the Investment business in the trade press for private markets and impact investing.

I’m really enjoying working on product development. I help design and build an offering for clients in private impact investing, not only to deliver clients return but also to positively change the world. Cardano really encourages entrepreneurial drive. The attitude is very much ‘If you’ve got a view, speak up. If it’s any good, we’ll listen!’

I grapple daily to improve on many aspects of my new life as an investor but I love the challenge. I’m super grateful for the people, many of them from Cardano, who’ve helped me along the winding way!

Cardano really encourages entrepreneurial drive. The attitude is very much ‘If you’ve got a view, speak up.'”