1) This month we celebrated FinTrU North West’s first birthday. What thoughts come to mind when you look back at the past year?
 

“When I look back at the past year, the overwhelming feeling I have is one of pride. We announced our biggest strategic move to date a year ago, relocating to a new site, in a new city, with multiple new teams and we executed the plan we set out to achieve. In the North West, we have gone from 0 to 100 people in 12 months. I think we can all take some pride in that.”

 

2) What has been the biggest accomplishment in the North West Office since setting up a year ago?
 

“The biggest accomplishment has been the team we have built in FinTrU North West. To do this we launched three North West Financial Services Academies along with lateral recruitment which included people returning from Belfast, Dublin, Paris, and London to join FinTrU. This was a particular highlight as all these people have brought great experience of different working environments with them. Another contribution to this achievement came from our colleagues who have relocated from FinTrU Belfast to the North West as well as the company leadership’s unwavering commitment to the expansion. We have been able to fuse this wide-ranging group into a fully operational North West team who now exhibit all the cultures you would find in FinTrU Belfast but maybe with a North West twist!”

 

3) What is your favourite part about working for FinTrU in the North West?
 

“That’s easy! It is the great people that I work alongside, plus being able to work in FinTrU while living in this beautiful part of the world. Historically, to work in this sector you would have to move to Belfast, Dublin or further afield. Now thanks to our decision to locate here people can pursue a global reaching career right in the heart of Derry/Londonderry. For anyone that is working in Financial Services, FinTrU now provides the opportunity to work locally on the global stage.”

 

4) Why was it important that FinTrU expanded to the North West?

 

“FinTrU needed to look for the headroom to grow. Not only in terms of physical premises but also the ability to tap into the talent pool here in the North West from colleges such as Ulster University Magee and Letterkenny IT. We needed to look outside of Belfast and this vibrant regional city was a clear choice. Our experience to date has completely affirmed that decision.”

 

5) How has FinTrU got involved with the North West community in the past year?  

 

“FinTrU has made huge efforts in its first year to embed in the socio-economic fabric of the North West. We now sit on the Derry City and Strabane Digital and Financial Services Skills Group which is part of the region’s ambitious Strategic Growth Plan. FinTrU is also an active member of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and has built deep linkages with Ulster University Magee and Letterkenny IT. FinTrU is also involved in the Ulster University Magee research study looking into the growth of the Business School as well as the cross-sectoral Smart Cities initiative in the City.

This month FinTrU was proud to sponsor the Londonderry Chamber 62nd Annual President's Dinner as well as the upcoming City of Derry International Choir Festival. The festival is a fantastic occasion and we are proud that the sponsorship aligns with our vision of supporting local talent on the global stage.”

 

6) How do you see the next 12 months for FinTrU in the North West?

 

“I expect to see more of the same rapid growth for FinTrU North West. We are hugely ambitious for the North West Office and are already ahead of schedule to hire 305 staff over the next five years. We are also fully aware that we will be at full capacity at our current premises by the year-end, so watch this space in terms of new additional office space!”

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Greg also reflected on FinTrU's first year in the North West on BBC Radio Foyle. You can listen to him here (25 minutes in) on BBC Sounds.