My background
It was way back in in 1980, that I started my journey into the world of stocks and shares.
It was way back in in 1980, that I started my journey into the world of stocks and shares.
In fact it was the 9th December 1980, that I had to catch a train into London for an arranged job interview.
In fact it was the 9th December 1980, that I had to catch a train into London for an arranged job interview.
The date is very vivid, as it was the day that we all learned that John Lennon had been murdered in America.
The date is very vivid, as it was the day that we all learned that John Lennon had been murdered in America.
I had found an advert in the previous day's Evening Standard, looking for a junior to work in a Stockbrokers office in London and cut it out and gave it to one of my teachers the next day.
I had found an advert in the previous day's Evening Standard, looking for a junior to work in a Stockbrokers office in London and cut it out and gave it to one of my teachers the next day.
He very kindly rang up the agency on my behalf and arranged an interview for me to attend at lunchtime that day.
He very kindly rang up the agency on my behalf and arranged an interview for me to attend at lunchtime that day.
He even gave me the train fare and must have talked me up, as I was offered a job on the spot, after my interview.
He even gave me the train fare and must have talked me up, as I was offered a job on the spot, after my interview.
They asked me to come in and start on Monday 15th December 1980, meaning I left school on the Friday and (in my head) became a broker on the Monday.
They asked me to come in and start on Monday 15th December 1980, meaning I left school on the Friday and (in my head) became a broker on the Monday.
We were just normal kids from a middle class family, who went to a normal school, so opportunities like this, to start at the bottom and work your way up without going to University, were very rare.
We were just normal kids from a middle class family, who went to a normal school, so opportunities like this, to start at the bottom and work your way up without going to University, were very rare.
I felt like the chosen one, as we rolled into Christmas, my friends all still at school and me, a junior Gordon Gekko in the making.
I felt like the chosen one, as we rolled into Christmas, my friends all still at school and me, a junior Gordon Gekko in the making.
On my first day at work, I saw more money being used to buy and sell shares, than my parents would ever see in their lifetime and I was hooked.
On my first day at work, I saw more money being used to buy and sell shares, than my parents would ever see in their lifetime and I was hooked.
I'd followed shares since I was 11 and had a little book where I would write in their stock names and their prices and follow them every morning in the paper, to see their movements and now I was doing it for real!
I'd followed shares since I was 11 and had a little book where I would write in their stock names and their prices and follow them every morning in the paper, to see their movements and now I was doing it for real!
It took me five years to work my way up the firm and in January 1985, I became a Partner Assistant, which was a highly regarded job and very rare for a non posh person like me to achieve this status.
It took me five years to work my way up the firm and in January 1985, I became a Partner Assistant, which was a highly regarded job and very rare for a non posh person like me to achieve this status.
The partner I worked for encouraged me to sit my Stock Exchange exams, which I duly passed and this allowed me to become qualified to become the youngest ever member of the London Stock Exchange. I was 21 years old.
The partner I worked for encouraged me to sit my Stock Exchange exams, which I duly passed and this allowed me to become qualified to become the youngest ever member of the London Stock Exchange. I was 21 years old.
As the years rolled on, I changed firms and responsibilities, as I grew my knowledge on a more International scale.
As the years rolled on, I changed firms and responsibilities, as I grew my knowledge on a more International scale.
At one point, I became the largest trader in Japanese Warrants, outside of Japan. In those days, each warrant had an assigned 4 digit number, instead of the usual 3 or 4 letters that were traditionally used to represent listed companies.
At one point, I became the largest trader in Japanese Warrants, outside of Japan. In those days, each warrant had an assigned 4 digit number, instead of the usual 3 or 4 letters that were traditionally used to represent listed companies.
It was a U$400bn market before the bubble burst.
It was a U$400bn market before the bubble burst.