Funds Newsletter: Meet a member of our Funds Advisory Board: Ann Stock

Martina Kelly, Director of Funds in IOB, caught up with Ann Stock, to chat about her career to-date including her move from executive to INED. Ann is a member of IOB’s Funds Advisory Board since 2021.

Ann worked in some of the largest asset managers – Legal & General, Fidelity, State Street and Vanguard – her last executive role was CEO of Vanguard Ireland. 

Name: Ann Stock 

Current role: In my mind retired.. some INED roles – busy living 

Lives: In the UK. I spent two years in Dublin and would have liked to spend longer – the financial services ecosystem in Ireland promotes collaboration amongst professionals across the sector. I think I know more people in Dublin than I know in London! 

Interests: I have had many different interests throughout my life – from girl guides, campanology (the art of ringing church bells), and playing cello and clarinet when I was young - to current loves including swimming – still sea swimming and loved the forty foot when living in Dublin. I learned Japanese when living and working in Tokyo, more recently took up motorbiking (Harleys) and stopped when it was no longer so much fun! A big rugby fan, love travel, walking, and most importantly keeping up the friendships developed over many years.

Ann, you have had a very interesting career with a wide variety of senior roles withing different entities. Can you tell us about that – was there a plan?

Well, no – I think it was all about opening doors and not closing doors. In my college choices – economics, my professional qualification – accounting, and an MBA in later years – it was a case of trying to ensure I had a choice of what I might do rather than being restricted to specific roles.

Tell me something about yourself we might expect?

I tend to use humour to diffuse situations and get to a good outcome.

And something we might not expect?

I still get very nervous about presentations and can be incredibly anxious before public events – imposter symptom is real and is something I have to work on.

Any thoughts on what IOB is up to in the funds and asset management sector?

I think the DP (Designated Person in a Fund Management Company) course is incredibly valuable giving much practical advice and education. Keep building the programmes and keep future proofing in programme development (to address new products etc.)

Getting back to your career journey – if not an economist and accountant, what path might you have followed?

There are so many ifs – if my parents had not moved to London would I have had the same opportunities; if I had passed my physics I might have gone into medicine; but the wonderful thing is that I am not sure I would have wanted to ultimately end up anywhere else than where I did.

(If I followed my school’s career advice teacher I would have been a great shorthand typist…).