To Wuhan and back

Andy Steel, CEO of James Hambro & Partners

Keeping team spirits up during lockdown has been a challenge for many businesses and organisations and JH&P is no different.

I have been delighted at the way the team has responded to the difficult circumstances of the past few months.

Clients have been our first priority, always. But our teams have been looking after each other, too – communicating regularly by video, phone and email.

We celebrated our 10^th anniversary in lockdown with the partners sending a video message to encourage the team.

Charity fundraising

We’ve done charity fundraising, including the 2.6 Challenge to help Britain’s struggling charities. Five of our staff (head of business development Chris Macklin, financial planners Ned Francis and Francesca Allard, and portfolio managers Mark Leach and Billy Hughes) ran a half marathon – with impressive times ranging from 1’26” (that was Chris, who in his younger days climbed Everest) to 1’43”.

Batman, AKA JH&P Portfolio Manager Mark Leach

All the more impressive in Mark Leach’s case, given that he did his run wearing a nylon Batman suit! It goes to show that our team take performance seriously in all walks (and runs) of life, but have a sense of fun too.

Perhaps the most interesting thing we’ve done is a challenge Mark set the team to cover a distance the equivalent of Wuhan and back between us. In 88 days 45 staff covered over 11,024 miles collectively.

Investment manager Dino Luciano (Harry Potter) with his three spell-binding children, aged 8,5 and 4

Legal counsel Tim Bennett cycled 2,280 miles. Head of financial planning Paul Calkin got himself into great shape cycling 1,101 miles. Francesca Allard ran 390 miles (including several half marathons). Ned Francis completed 767 miles on foot and bike (including a marathon). My own contribution was to walk 179 miles. Every effort was carefully and accurately logged on a spreadsheet. You would expect nothing less.

As a business JH&P has also helped fund a project by two famous London restaurants – Wiltons and Franco’s – to reopen their kitchens during lockdown, providing meals for NHS staff, key workers, the vulnerable and the homeless.

It is great to work with such an enthusiastic, generous-hearted and talented team.

By Andy Steel, posted 31 July 2020