Director of Business Development

Job Description

At abrdn we empower our clients to plan, save and invest for their futures.

Through the expertise, insight and innovation of our team, we aim to help clients create more ways for money to make an impact. We set our sights on giving them more confidence to achieve their goals, and more clarity about what they need next. And we focus on delivering outcomes that are more than just financial – by investing sustainably to build a better world.

The Nordic Business Development team covers the business of abrdn in the Nordics (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland) and through an in-depth knowledge of markets, client interest and investment products, they engage a diversity of clients, bankers, and product providers to raise awareness of abrdn’s investment capabilities and potential.

The team consists of sales professionals based in Copenhagen and Stockholm who are each provided with an allocated portfolio of clients but an overlapping responsibility for clients and markets/asset classes will also be a focus for the team.

All Nordic clients are professional and therefore we don’t have a split between institutional and wholesale investors. The sales team in the Nordics are responsible for creating new opportunities and developing existing relationships with clients and promoting abrdn as an Investment House with both liquid and illiquid asset classes. Experience in the Institutional and knowledge about the wholesale market is of key importance.

The key customers of the region are predominantly external clients, however internally, the role holder must foster and develop relationships with other parts of the sales operations around the world, as well as the other support functions in the business.

The successful candidate will be based in our Stockholm office and will report into the Head of Distribution, Nordics.  There will be flexible options of working from the office and from home along with business travel to other offices within the EMEA and UK region as required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Understand the investment strategies and plans in the client portfolio and drive the contacts and sales process.

• To be on top of the development in the Nordic market and in various countries which will be shared with the team.

• To keep in contact with all relevant people within the investment client portfolio teams including liquid and illiquid along with having regular contact with them either face to face or through different technologies.

• To have focus on new prospects in the markets and set-up introduction meetings.

• To promote abrdn as an Investment House including setting up meetings and supporting our Fund Managers visiting the Nordics.

• To support abrdn in their drive for new business and successfully raise assets.

• Have an excellent working knowledge of investment matters and asset classes including Fixed Income, Equities, Infrastructure, Private Debt, Real Estate.

• To carry out project work to support the Nordic business lines.

• To help deliver the key outcomes set out in the business plan and supporting the Nordic sales targets along with actively contributing to the wider European business plan.

• Acquire a detailed knowledge of fund structures and systems pertaining to the relevant product lines to successfully raise assets and contribute to new investment solutions.

• To acquire knowledge of fund regulations and compliance issues.

Core Knowledge:

• Key knowledge of the Swedish market and some knowledge of Finish markets

• Knowledge of overall investment markets and relevant products in the Nordics countries.

• A good working knowledge of the legal and regulatory provisions associated with the role.

Candidate requirements:

• Fluent in Swedish and English (essential).

• Identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, including generating new sales within assigned market segments.

• Being Self-driven, energetic and engaged

• A natural interest to support the team members and playing the “Devil’s Advocate” now and then   

• Ideally hold a Swedish or equivalent European economic or Investment qualification.

• Excellent internal and external communications skills.

• Developing and implementing innovative business strategies to drive growth and expand market reach.

• Building and maintaining strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including potential clients and industry leaders.

• Conducting market research and analysis to identify future trends and opportunities.

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment.  We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance.  We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone.If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.