Please join us in saying “goodbye” to Posy

Over the past few months, Chancellor’s monthly eNews has featured mini biographies of our Directors and advisory team, which have been very well received by our clients and professional connections. This month’s biography also has another purpose, as we are also sadly saying goodbye to our friend and colleague, Posy, who is heading off into the sunset for a very well earned retirement. As you will read, Posy has worked with some of us for many years – even before Chancellor was a twinkle in John and Grant’s eyes! Posy definitely has the most interesting “back story” of all of us, so please feel free to sit back and enjoy the following and join us in wishing her a very happy retirement:-

So it is time for me to say goodbye and thank you so much for all your good wishes  (although in truth “good luck” should probably now be directed to my husband Alan!)

When I read in Chancellor’s E-news about how Grant, Dave Torkington and Dave Heaton started in this industry, I reflect on how I ended up in it too.  I had just one ambition – which was “never to work and to continue in the manner to which I had become accustomed”. 

And this plan went swimmingly – until my divorce!

I grew up in Lebanon and life was a beach – quite literally – on the Med and sunshine prevailed (except the day the American marines landed and kicked sand over everyone!)  There were of course various revolutions and as a child I used to love the sound of a machine gun getting ready to fire and spent many happy hours sneaking up on Lebanese soldiers to see if I could make them jump enough to cock their guns.  And whenever there was “shelling” my father would comfort me with the words “don’t worry darling its only dynamite”; content with this information I would go right back to sleep …. thick or what!

As a young teenager I was brought back to England for 2-3 years to finish my education where, according to my late father, the only thing I passed at school was the time.  So before I was 16 I found myself on a ship for 12 days from Liverpool to West Africa where I learnt the true meaning of sea sickness.  We went by sea because we were taking my grandmother, two cars and a budgie.  The dog had more sense and flew.  We lived in Ghana for about 12 years – and Ghana was where I met and married a Lebanese guy, my first husband (a salutary lesson in not marrying someone because they look like a popstar!) and ironically, where I also first met Alan who used to come out to Africa on his school hols to see his parents – wow – now that is going back some!  Alan and I have been married now for the past 20 years!

Back in UK my divorce solicitor sent a me a bill – It was the first bill I’d ever had addressed to me – I toyed briefly with the idea of sending it to my ex for settlement but then with a flash of inspiration I thought  “I know!  I’ll get a job!”

So I took a “learn to type in 12 hours” course at Sight and Sound in Manchester and presented myself to Scottish Life Assurance Company as an Audio Typist.  It didn’t take long before both of us realised that I couldn’t type (OMG – no PC’s in those days – Tippex ruled!)   Fortunately Scottish Life liked me enough to keep me and the typing team waved a rather over-enthusiastic goodbye to me ☹ as I was moved to an administrative role – first in Pensions, then in Life and then finally in Unit Linking – Insurance companies were great training grounds in those days.

I left Scottish Life to manage funds for a Manchester broker which I found fascinating – I did rather well and even managed to give the 1987 crash a swerve!  I actually loved waking up in the middle of the night to see how overseas markets had closed.   And then in 1989 I met John Smallridge and moved to New Mansion in Bolton to administer their self-administered schemes which, as you may know,  I’ve done ever since.  Dave Heaton was already an established Director there and as Dave says that was 31 years ago… yikes – but then I was a late starter!

In 1994 financial services regulations changed and John told me that I would now have to take exams (seriously??) otherwise I couldn’t continue to do the work I did for him.  So the next couple of years were a blur of studying after work or whenever I could, until I qualified – So I have nothing but admiration for the administration team at Chancellor who have blasted their way through the industry exams – I hated every moment of studying!  John sold to Fairmount in 1995 and we all met Grant Farnell there in 1998…. and the rest as they say is history!

So, in a nutshell, I’ve ended up doing what I have been doing because I’m a rubbish typist! 

I have to say that I have enjoyed my work immensely or I guess I would have gone a long time ago!  Most of all it has been a pleasure and a privilege to have looked after so many of Chancellor’s delightful and friendly clients and I certainly shall miss them and our repartee.   And I shall also miss the Chancellor team without whose hard work and dedication the Chancellor experience would be very different.

And so, I shall now go back to “Plan A” – which I believe was “Never to work and to continue in the manner to which I had become accustomed”!   Alan and I love to travel so when Covid sets us free we shall be back on the road – Here’s a photo of me a couple of years ago in Moscow …trying to blend in and look inconspicuous!

Take good care of yourselves and my very best wishes to you all!