Page 126 - 2018 Powerlist

WHAT I DO

HEATHER ALLEYNE - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EY

Being the best that

I could be motivated me

rom working in a high-street bank as a cashier, to a wrong turn as a big mistake. Now reflecting back, I realise
advising the boards of the UK’s leading retail banks, that if I hadn’t have taken those turns, I wouldn’t be where
FHeather Alleyne, a financial services consultant at EY, I am, or who I am today. They have made me more resilient,
talks about her winding career path to her current leadership intuitive, driven, and have better prepared me for the
role, at a firm where she can truly be herself. leadership role that I am doing now.”
At 19, Heather started her career in banking, working as Heather joined EY in 2000 as a Senior Manager and is
a cashier at the branch of a high-street now an Executive Director in the firm’s
bank. Within 12 months she was promoted financial services business. She works
to Branch Manager and soon afterwards with the senior management and board
climbed the ranks to Regional Manager, members of some of the UK’s largest retail
responsible for five branches across West banks on mitigating and responding
London. During that time she took six to regulatory and conduct related
weeks out to have her daughter. challenges.
By the time she was 28 she was “As regulated entities, retail banks
appointed Deputy Head of Mortgage have been, and will continue to go
Operations for the bank’s UK business, through significant change,” said
leading large teams of people across Heather. This has become particularly
various locations and working on large more challenging with the introduction
scale transformational projects. of ‘Conduct Risk’, which is defined as
But it’s not quite the career she ‘any action of an individual bank – or any
envisaged growing up. WHAT ADVICE WOULD other financial institution – that leads to
“My mum was a nurse, which inspired HEATHER GIVE TO OTHERS customer detriment or negatively impacts
me. But my aspirations were soon dashed PURSUING THEIR CAREER market stability’. It is coupled with the
when I discovered I can’t bear the sight of ASPIRATIONS? introduction of the Senior Managers
blood,” said Heather. Regime, where individuals are not only
“My parents were always very “Never give up,” says Heather. ‘responsible and accountable for issues
supportive of everything I did and always “View the twists, the turns, or behaviours that result in customer
encouraged me to put my all into it. My and the challenges as positive detriment or negatively impacts market
mum and dad always told me to ‘strive to milestones – necessary stops stability’, they are now also culpable.”
along the way to get you to
be the best you can be, in whatever you your ultimate destination. Find Heather adds: “What I do is not always
choose to do’. That mentality has stayed a place to work and drive your easy, and it can sometimes be very
with me throughout my life and has career where you feel at home, challenging, but it is always rewarding.
become part of who I am.” but remember – in the words I work with great people and a firm that
After more than 13 years working for of my Dad – in order to be the values its people.
the same retail bank, Heather joined a best that you can be, you need “The CEO of a large retail bank, who
global professional services firm, offering balance in your life – mentally, was a mentor of mine, once told me –
her skills, advice and experience that physically and spiritually.” ‘What is really important, is finding a
she had built up in the industry to advise place where you can be yourself and get
others. “It was an opportunity to look at the support you need to go as far as you
banking from a different perspective,” said Heather. “At that want to.’ That advice certainly rings true for me at EY.
time, banking, mortgages and insurance were regulated by “It is a firm that encourages you to be yourself and play to
voluntary codes and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) your strengths. I’ve never felt like I have had to adapt who I
was embarking on a time of significant change.” am, and I really believe that has made me more successful.
After a brief spell back in industry, Heather decided I’m valued for being me and that has driven my career
that consultancy in a professional services organisation ambitions. As a place to work, I’ve found EY one of the
was the place for her. “Throughout my career and life I’ve liveliest working environments I’ve ever worked in. I made
experienced various twists and turns, both professionally more relationships at EY in the first 12 months of joining the
and personally. At the time I perhaps would have considered firm than in the years I spent in previous roles.”

122 Powerlist 2018