Life Lessons from HSBC Banker

Rachael Willis (née Bickerstaffe), who graduated with the Class of 2005 from Bolton School Girls’ Division and is now Head of People Excellence at HSBC Bank (Middle-East, North Africa and Turkey), ‘Zoomed in’ from Dubai to deliver the seventh and final World of Work assembly of the academic year for Year 10 pupils. 

Briefly reflecting on her own school days, Rachael told the girls how Bolton School still holds a special place in her heart and how it was where she blossomed. She instructed girls to enjoy it and to make the most of it. 

Rachael then told how, upon leaving the School, she went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Durham. She recalled how her initial plan had been to read History but how she went with PPE after much consultation in school. Her first life lesson was to sometimes push yourself into the unknown, to take informed risks and to go with what excites you. During her undergraduate years, she took an internship with HSBC, which, she said, proved beneficial as it gave her a good opportunity to try out the industry. Her second life lesson was to give things a go. 

Upon graduation, Rachael started on the Executive Management Scheme at HSBC and advised girls not to underestimate how tiring a full day’s work can at first seem! The programme, she explained, aimed to support potential leaders and offered the employees lots of experiences and roles. She recalled how she started off in a branch in Liverpool and how the first couple of weeks were a 'baptism of fire', providing her with a chance to appreciate the approach and mind-set of others. Rachael explained how she then spent time in a new super-branch which opened in the city and how she could not initially understand why many employees were not happy there. It took her a little while to realise that not all employees like change. This informed her next life lesson, which was the importance of having empathy with others. 

Rachael told how she then moved to London to work in the commercial sector of the bank – where money is lent to large companies. After a few weeks, she said, she was hooked. Some areas proved more interesting than others to her but she began to develop her interest in organisational structure and behaviour. Rachael reflected on her time in investment banking, which she said she found interesting but that the days were long. Tough as she found it, she persevered and recalled how a senior executive noticed her positive attitude and helped her with her next position. Another life lesson, she said, is try and keep your sparkle and a positive attitude, whatever the circumstances. 

Over the next few years, Rachael said, she worked across other departments within the bank including with the debt finance team, the operations team and in the technology sector. Rachael told how all this movement across teams made her realise that she liked different challenges and got bored if she stayed in the same place for too long. 

Rachael then revealed how, four years ago in May, she had her first child. By this stage, she and her husband had been in London about 10 years and they felt it was time for a change and to live abroad. They moved to Dubai on 4 July 2019. Rachael told how they now have two children in this very hot country. She told the Y10 girls that sometimes you have to push yourself – there isn’t always a perfect time to make the next move. She admitted to occasionally getting homesick but she said it was worth it for the great experience. 

During her time abroad, Rachael told how she had become more self-aware and how now she won’t take things for granted in the same way when she returns to the UK. Her current role, she said, involves sitting on the Executive Committee for the commercial bank and looking at the talent development, wellbeing and performance of just over 1200 staff in eight different markets across the Middle-East. She confided in the girls that whilst she may not live in Dubai forever, right now she was fully engaged. Her parting advice to the girls was: ‘Be bold and fearless – what is the worst that can happen?’ 

In a brief Q&A session, Rachael spoke about the usefulness of internships, Maths A level, the different skillsets of people in Dubai (where 80% of the population is made up of ex-pats) and whether there were better opportunities there or in London. 

You can watch the full presentation here.