The new treasury partner at Yorkshire Bank always goes the extra mile for his customers.
Jonathan Smith has joined the team at Yorkshire Bank’s Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry and he will also have responsibility for clients at the Northampton and Milton Keynes FSCs.
The 26-year-old, who completed the Sheffield half marathon in one hour 39 minutes last year, started working at Yorkshire Bank after completing a degree in Management Studies at Leeds University Business School.
Jonathan’s first role in treasury was based in the Bank’s dealing room in Leeds, executing foreign exchange trades with import and export customers, managing interest rate risk for bank clients and advising on movements in financial markets.
A promotion to Treasury Partner in 2010 meant speaking to clients ‘in the field’ about these risks before they reach the execution stage in dealing with the bank’s treasury products.
He spent a year covering clients in the Leeds area before relocating to cover treasury for the Midlands.
“In this new role I am meeting customers earlier in the process, offering a more holistic appraisal of their business plans, assessing their risks and discussing how we can provide services to moderate those,” said Jonathan, who is also a keen golfer as well as runner.
“We can also mitigate the risks for customers who are exposed to the wholesale prices of various commodities.
“Our capabilities in oil markets allow us to assist hauliers with fuel hedging, protecting them from increases in the price of diesel. Likewise, we can also advise manufacturers who are dealing in large quantities of base metals such as aluminium and copper. This is a big USP for us.
“I am really enjoying the move to the Midlands. As the manufacturing heartland of the country it offers the chance to speak to a wide range of businesses, which adds variety and challenge to the role.”
Stephen Cronin, managing partner of Yorkshire Bank’s Coventry FSC, said Jonathan would be a valuable asset to the team.
He said: “Jonathan has a great deal of knowledge of a specialised area which, because of the very nature of exports and import rates, keeps you on your toes.
“We are able to offer up-to-the-minute information on a wide range of markets to reduce the risks involved to manage any financial impact.”