In your 20+ years of management, finance, and accounting experience, what would you describe as the most effective strategies for generating results?
The first step to an effective strategy is to identify the needs of the organization. Then, set individual-based tasks that collectively form the team objective. The most important element behind generating results are the people who make up your team – and empowering those individuals. When your team is equipped with all the information and resources they need to do their best work, generating those end results becomes seamless. As someone in a leadership position, it is your responsibility to make sure your team is supported at all times because people achieve more when they know what they’re getting into and how they will meet those expectations.
What would you describe as the “Siepe” way of empowering your team?
Individuals can be trained, but true success comes from those who use their intellectual curiosity to bring something new to the table. What we really seek from our employees is their willingness to drive their own ideas. Siepe is like a platform for growth – providing for individuals to make their voices heard and explore new opportunities, regardless of position or level of experience.
We have created a collaborative environment and instead of a top-down approach to management, we lead collectively. We give everyone an opportunity to be part of the decision-making process, as well as the planning and execution of strategies. We seek individuals who go above and beyond and find ways to contribute, bring fresh ideas, and collaborate across the organization to help drive Siepe’s success.
Why do you think Siepe stands out in the asset management industry compared to other technology providers?
Our commitment to our customers. We know that the foundation of this industry is built on trust, and having individuals in our firm who have been at the forefront of industry change gives us that unique perspective. We know what it takes to provide the service or solution that is needed.
We view our customers and vendors as partners. We pride ourselves on the relationships we build and we don’t settle for less than excellence. This is what enables us to deliver high quality solutions. We also recognize that one of the most critical technology challenges asset managers face is the appetite and need for a platform that can do it all. Our goal is to be a partner that can provide middle and back office solutions, and partner with firms that can provide the integrations we can’t, enabling a seamless user experience for our customers.
What do you see as the biggest opportunity for Siepe in the next 12-24 months?
The biggest opportunity is to expand our reach and become the standard solution for the asset management industry. As we expand, we have a lot of growth opportunities for our people. Our goal is to strategically place people globally to help service more clients. We are also looking for ways to expand our outreach efforts in the communities that we serve.
What do you find most rewarding about your responsibilities as an executive leader?
What I like the most about being in this role is having a daily impact on the success of the company. I wear many different hats, nothing is ever the same and I’m always met with something new and challenging every day. To see how far we have come as a team, and how we’ve addressed the various industry challenges and grown tremendously over the past few years is very satisfying.
Culture is an important part of our business. When we hire people, we try to get to know them on a different level, going beyond just their skills and experience. We look for people from differing backgrounds and experiences to expand our talent within our team while also finding common threads that can be woven into our culture to create strong relationships to be able to work together effectively.
What is the best part about working at Siepe?
Sounds cliche but it’s the people and seeing how our business has matured while keeping our culture an integral part of our organization. We want Siepe to be a place of choice. When people walk into our offices, they do so joyfully. We’ve stayed true to that and continue to improve and find ways to make their experience even better because we are truly invested in each individual.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
When I was growing up, my dad was in the Air Force, so we lived in Portugal when I was younger. I loved my experience living abroad and developed a love for people, cultures, and of course, soccer, or futbol, which I ended up playing, watching, and even coaching a little throughout my life.
