Earlier this year, Alex Hayman joined our business development team. We asked him five questions to get to know him better — touching on his background, how he sees the industry, and what keeps him grounded.
If you didn’t work in the asset management industry, what do you think you would have done instead?
I would have worked in IT. I have a passion for all things technology and have completed a degree in computer science. Programming gives me an outlet for creativity and problem solving in a way I haven’t replicated anywhere else. The variety of challenges it presents and the reward when you finally get something to work is genuinely hard to match.
What do you think is one of the most common misperceptions people have about the world of investment management?
That it is a perfect science. University teaches you to apply rules and formulas to arrive at a definitive answer, but in reality, there is a real art to investing, which can be genuinely difficult to accept for anyone who prefers or expects things to be black and white.
What do you enjoy most about working in business development?
I’m naturally analytical and spend lots of time staring at spreadsheets, so having the opportunity to step away from the screen and interact with people and build genuine relationships has been extremely rewarding. I’ve already learned a lot about connecting with people on a deeper level and understand why culture and rapport matter so much in the industry.
Describe the most bucket list-like moment you have had so far in your life.
Completing the Marmotte Gran Fondo, a gruelling but extremely satisfying mass-start cycling event that takes on four of the most iconic Tour de France climbs in the French Alps. It’s the kind of day that teaches you something new about yourself, and gives you enormous respect for what people can achieve when they share a common goal.
What skill or habit has made a real difference in your life?
Sitting still with your own thoughts. Sounds deceptively simple on face-value, but in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information and noise, learning to be comfortable in silence has become one of my most valuable and effective skills for maintaining focus and a healthy lifestyle.
