Twenty years ago, Shayne Ward topped the charts with That’s My Goal, the Xbox 360 was flying off the shelves, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was breaking box office records. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old straight out of St Peter Port Secondary School was stepping into his first job in Guernsey’s finance industry, wide-eyed, full of ambition, and entirely unaware of what the next two decades would bring.
As 2025 comes to a close, it feels like the right time to pause and look back. Reaching my 20-year milestone in the finance world has prompted me to reflect, not just on my own career, but on the sheer scale of global change we’ve all lived through.
From the 2008 financial crisis to Brexit, COVID-19, the rise of social media, Bitcoin, AI and ongoing geopolitical tensions, our industry has had to adapt constantly. Regulation has shifted dramatically too. Back in 2008, I didn’t fully appreciate the ripple effects of the financial crash. It wasn’t until I watched The Big Short years later that I realised I’d lived through an era-defining event. That period ushered in sweeping changes: stricter Anti-Money Laundering regulations, FATCA, the Common Reporting Standard, and a major shift in public trust in the financial industry.
Through it all, Guernsey has stood firm. The island has continued to evolve with the regulatory landscape, and its resilience and high standards have made it a stable, trusted jurisdiction, as evidences in the recent MoneyVal report, something that clients and intermediaries increasingly value in an uncertain world.
Of course, no reflection would be complete without mentioning COVID. It changed everything. One day we were in the office, the next we were packing up our laptops with 24 hours’ notice. At the time, working remotely wasn’t the norm. I remember rushing home to do bath and bedtime with my daughter, then heading back to the office because home setups were few and far between. Paper was still king, and digital signatures were rare. These days, if I have to sign more than five things in ink, my hand starts to cramp!
While video calls have made staying in touch easier, especially across borders, they’re no replacement for in-person conversations. I still believe face-to-face interaction is key to building trust and delivering excellent service, something that will always be important, no matter how advanced our tools become.
Looking ahead, the pace of change isn’t slowing. We’re entering a new chapter, clients are going through the “Great Wealth Transfer”, where the next generation of the family will look to lead relationships and have different priorities when it comes to how their assets are managed and invested. We’re also seeing wealth generated through newer avenues such as cryptocurrency, content creation, and tech start-ups. Our typical client in the future may look very different to our clients today.
And yes, AI is firmly part of that picture. My daughter is six and already asking me to “ChatGPT” things. Her most recent question: “When’s Santa’s birthday?” (Apparently, it’s 15 March, in case you’re wondering). The speed of progress is staggering, but I’ve learned that resisting change is a sure way to be left behind.
As I reflect, a few things stand out as essential for anyone building a career in this space:
- Adaptability – The way we worked 20 years ago simply wouldn’t fly today. Change is constant and embracing it is key.
- Resilience – Mistakes happen. What matters is how you respond, especially when challenges are outside your control.
- Effort – Sometimes, just doing your best goes a long way. A bit of determination (and a sense of humour) can carry you through.
I’ve grown up alongside this industry. It’s evolved, and so have I. And while I may not know what the next 20 years hold (retirement still feels like a distant dream), I do know this: Guernsey remains a safe pair of hands. It’s a jurisdiction that continues to deliver quality, stability and integrity, qualities that matter more now than ever.
