A Day in the Life of a Trust Professional

Gintare Nedelec TEP is a Trust Officer at Guardian Trust Company Ltd.

I am a trust professional in Geneva, Switzerland, where I manage various trust and companies’ structures across many different jurisdictions. I’ve worked at a few trust companies over the years, so I’ve had the chance to form a broad view of the industry.

Back when I first started working in the field of trust management, I often heard people say that the most interesting part of being a trust manager is that there are no two days alike – and I definitely agree with this. Our job is changing every day due to changing client needs, regulations, political uncertainties and new technology.

In the morning

My usual day starts with going through all the emails I got the evening before. Because we work across multiple time zones, these can vary – from document requests, distributions, and client questions to investment updates, company updates, or even invites to various conferences.

After I read all my emails, I can make up a plan for the day. I usually try to tackle the hardest tasks in the morning when my brainpower is fresh, leaving lighter tasks for late afternoon. 

Usually, we’ll have a client or a third party call in the morning, and I’ll be presented with some problems which require immediate action. For example, a client who wants to make sure that his family’s wealth is preserved, and his wife and kids well taken care of, even when he is gone: we would consider whether a trust was the right vehicle, whether an underlying company was needed, and what terms would serve the family best.

The afternoon

In the afternoon I am able to work on tasks that require deep thinking, like reviewing a Trust Deed, Contract, Loan Agreement or Accounts. These kinds of tasks require uninterrupted attention, so it’s much easier to tackle them when the day is almost done and things are a bit less hectic! That said, I’ll still get some replies in the afternoon, so sometimes an urgent transaction might need to be performed, or a pressing client call taken – it really depends on the situation at hand.

After work

The work can sometimes be demanding – the responsibilities are large, and the emotional weight of managing so many complex situations is not always easy. Fatigue can accumulate over time. Therefore, after work I try to unwind and end my day with some sort of relaxing ritual – it’s important for me to have something that defines the end of the workday.

I like to take my dog, Neptune, out for a long walk near the river. I love seeing him so happy being outside, meeting other dogs and just enjoying the fresh air.

Gintare’s dog Neptune enjoys her after-work routine.

What it’s like to work in the trust industry

Working in the trust industry can be challenging, but at the same time, it’s very emotionally rewarding. It requires a lot of effort to go through the overload of information we get every day in order to fully understand the problems at hand – and not only that, but be able to solve them, in the context of constantly changing trust laws and regulations.

If you like solving problems, are interested in law, investments, accounts and helping people manage their finances – you would be an ideal candidate for the trust industry.