Page 54 - 2018 Powerlist

Business, Corporates, Financiers & Entrepreneurs

INTERVIEW
To London, with love

It’s appropriate that HSBC’s most memorable series of television ads explored cultural
differences in business across the globe. For as American Nancy Armand, HSBC
Executive Vice-President, and Interim Head of Marketing in Europe, tells Steve Pope,
navigating cultural and national differences has been part of her job spec for 20 years

ased in London for the past say this all the time, despite the fact I’m broadly aligned’ that means ‘no’. An
five years, Nancy has been with that we speak the same language, American would take that as he said
BHSBC since 2006 when she Britain and the States are culturally so ‘yes’. It’s a different code to understand.
worked in the New York office. very different. When you come over as It’s polite, non-confrontational.”
What was the appeal of London? “It’s an American you think it will be easy “How you frame things here is very
the financial hub, the history, the cultural because of the shared language. But it important. In the States people don’t
diversity, it’s a rich environment. London is far from it. take things as personally as they do
really doesn’t disappoint.” “In the US we are more plain-spoken. here. I have learnt a lot about the culture
Learning the British way of business People tend to be a lot more polite here. from being here and I think you need
has been an interesting challenge: “I For example when someone says ‘while to live and work in the UK to really

50 Powerlist 2018