With no family history of higher education, Neil Atkinson Chartered FCSI bypassed university and entered the financial world in the 1990s through an apprenticeship scheme at the Bank of Scotland.

His apprenticeship, begun after finishing school at a state comprehensive, allowed him to study for the Chartered Institute for Banking exams, setting him on a path to a career in global finance.

“It’s encouraging to see how relevant apprenticeships still are today, and I’m proud of the CISI’s work to promote them,” says Neil. “I’ve always believed in lifelong learning and have continued my education throughout my career, including with the CISI.”

Career highlights

Over the years, Neil has worked in investment operations, product development and relationship management with top firms such as BNY and HSBC (see CV boxout).

His job with BNY took Neil to Hong Kong from 2011 for six years, leading to him joining the CISI’s regional National Advisory Committee.

While working in Hong Kong, Neil’s career progressed from managing director, head of strategy and product, depositary receipts, to head of depositary receipts APAC. He particularly enjoyed relationship-building and developing collaborative teams and led his teams to grow revenues and introduce efficiencies.

Today, as managing director and global client executive with Euroclear, Neil’s day-to-day job involves building strategic partnerships and collaborating with both the product and business development teams.

He is excited to be involved in several new project areas at Euroclear, in particular the Digital Financial Market Infrastructure. This will allow distributed ledger technology to enhance market connectivity. Other focus areas include Euroclear’s ‘Collateral Highway’ – a platform that mobilises collateral across markets and time zones – and the launch of its US Treasury delivery-versus-payment repo services. He’s also enthusiastic about the firm’s funds platform, which supports mutual, money market, alternative and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). He cites expectations that active ETF assets in the European ETF market will “surpass US$100bn in 2025”.

Growth with the CISI

His relationship with the CISI has grown over 27 years of membership, during which the Institute has been a “constant influence and a secure base” as his career has evolved. From sitting the CISI level 3 Certificate in Investment Administration and The Regulatory Environment (IMRO) with an Edinburgh fund management firm, he went on ten years later to set questions for the CISI CREST Settlement exam he himself had studied for.

Neil believes diversity of thought, range and experience are important to create innovative, dynamic work environments 

On returning to the UK following his time in Hong Kong, Neil joined the CISI’s International Committee and, more recently, its Membership Committee. There’s no doubt in Neil’s mind as to the value of his membership: “The CISI is a powerful, professional network and places a strong emphasis on ethics and integrity, which are important personal values of mine and fundamental to our industry.”

Neil has found his work with both CISI committees and, more recently, his appointment to the Board, particularly enjoyable, allowing him time to collaborate with the executive directors’ team under CEO Tracy Vegro’s leadership. He is impressed with the team’s vision and commitment to both current and future membership: “In 2024, the CISI’s leadership team embarked on a three-year strategy which includes improving the member offer, investing in digital resources and the customer experience, which members will no doubt be noticing.”

He supports the CISI’s mentoring scheme and recommends it to members and students. Having had his own very supportive mentor for the past 20 years, Neil believes mentoring can be a ‘game changer’. His mentor has encouraged him to move abroad, take risks with new types of work and move out of his comfort zone.

Skills and lifelong learning

Neil’s interest in lifelong learning is highlighted by his becoming an Accredited Leader Coach with the Association for Coaching in 2023. Encouraged by his own experience of being coached while working with BNY and HSBC, he feels he is well placed to understand the value coaching brings, allowing coachees to thrive in constantly changing environments “in ways that unleash fresh energy, innovation and commitment”. He finds the coaching experience, with its emphasis on support and guidance, to be rewarding and notes that it is different from mentoring, which is more instructive.

"For me, the most crucial skills for future success are empathy, relationship management and teamwork"

With skills and lifelong learning at the forefront of the CISI’s mission, Neil rates the Financial Services Skills Commission’s Future Skills Framework highly as a valuable resource for the sector. The emergence of data analytics, software development, cyber security, machine learning and AI as key to the future of finance is, he says, important and we all should be experimenting with AI tools. He is conscious of the importance of ethics and integrity in the use of AI and the CISI’s role in this. “The CISI has taken a leadership role with the development of the Certificate in Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI), recognising the importance of the ethics of AI. It’s recently been approved by The Law Society, underscoring its importance. For me, the most crucial skills for future success are empathy, relationship management and teamwork – these skills can’t be learned by a computer and will remain crucial to success in the workplace of the future.”

Having experienced both back and front office roles during his career, Neil is aware of the challenges of AI for financial services firms from a holistic perspective, with exciting opportunities available for those confident with digital tools, devices and platforms. He feels it is important for those working in client-facing roles to have a good understanding of new technology to allow for informed, outcome-focused conversations with clients.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Through his work both in the UK and internationally, Neil has experience working across diverse teams and is of no doubt of the benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion to businesses, particularly considering recent developments by some firms to roll back on DEI commitments. He believes diversity of thought, range and experience are important to create innovative, dynamic work environments “where all individuals, regardless of their background or characteristics, feel valued, respected and taken seriously, each with access to opportunities. From a personal perspective, I took a pledge not to speak on a panel at a conference unless it was gender diverse. It’s a pledge I’ve invoked a few times now, and it’s resulted in more conference panel diversity in ones I have sat on.”

Tips for career starters

Neil is optimistic for young talent looking to develop a career in financial services. Through his experience of the CISI mentoring programme and interacting with young people in the workplace, he feels those coming through from school, college or university are highly motivated, organised and determined. He recommends getting work experience, developing your social skills, and researching the position you are applying for and the business, company and market environment. This, he says, is essential to securing a role in our highly competitive financial services profession.

He is an advocate of CISI membership for those entering the sector as it brings a range of benefits, including access to the CISI’s learning portal and the UK-wide Young Professionals’ Network. He is also keen that members recognise the work of the CISI’s educational development team. This work with schools, colleges and universities, offering qualifications and career insights through the ‘Get into Finance’ initiative, “helps young people learn about the financial services sector and understand the diverse job roles and employment opportunities available”.

Financial sector challenges

Neil’s experience means he has an excellent overview of capital markets, post-trade, financial market infrastructure, clearing and settlement. “We live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world,” he says. “The future of post-trade is being shaped by digitalisation, shorter settlement cycles and a heightened focus on geopolitical risks. The emergence of new asset classes also adds complexity to the industry. Safekeeping new asset types like digital keys and cryptocurrencies presents new challenges, requiring thoughtful debate and collaboration between stakeholders, including regulators. We need to set aside traditional methods and adopt an agile, innovative approach that’s appropriate for a rapidly changing and difficult-to-comprehend environment.”

Lora leads the Communications team within the CISI Marcomms unit, developing and influencing the CISI’s global external comms strategy, with reputational risk overview and responsibility for managing media relationships. She has 30 years of PR and media relations/reputation management experience, both in-house and consultancy, including with foreign government, local government and corporate global brands. She is a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CMCIPR), an appointed Harris Federation sponsor governor of her local school, loves yoga, fast walking, reading, music, dancing and travel.