Claire Robinson came to Hong Kong 11 years ago seeking a new challenge, finding a home at SJP. As SJP Asia’s very first hire, Claire has built a business and new life in the city.

Claire against wall

Meet Claire Robinson

When Claire Robinson took a flight from London Heathrow to Hong Kong in 2014, she was looking for something new. After years in the property, pensions and financial advice sectors in Britain, she was keen to try a “completely fresh” challenge in a vibrant new city, but admits the journey was a leap into the unknown.

“I moved out here with my old employer, on my own, with no connections to the city,” she says. “I was at a crossroads in my life. I was completely out of my comfort zone but committed to making the most of every opportunity.”  

Becoming a trusted expert

After initially struggling to adapt to her new environment, fate fortunately intervened. Nine months after landing in Hong Kong, St. James’s Place approached Claire on LinkedIn, offering a new opportunity in its fledgling Asia business. SJP Asia made Claire its very first hire in Hong Kong, setting her on a new career and life trajectory.

Claire has worked tirelessly since to build a local network from scratch, establishing some great client relationships along the way. Due to her UK financial qualifications, Claire became SJP’s resident pensions expert in Hong Kong, using her sector experience to help clients overcome complex issues. Her skills have seen her become a valuable resource for other advisers looking to solve pensions issues for their clients. She also recently became the first female Senior Partner in Asia.

Looking back on the early years, she says both she and the firm have grown.

“It has been a steep learning curve, but ten years in, I feel like we’ve built a collaborative and supportive culture for Partners from all walks of life to thrive.”

Claire Robinson
claire with family

The journey continues

The past decade has brought plenty of changes for Claire personally, and life looks very different to 2015, with a family and two young daughters at home. The flexibility of her job at SJP has been a major factor in helping her professional career and personal life flourish.

While making her mark in Hong Kong was Claire’s reason for moving to Asia, her family life in Happy Valley is a definite reason to stay. The next stage of her life will see her pass on her financial wisdom to her children.

“Learning the value of money early on is vital, while recognising they are in a fortunate position,” she adds. “No one will manage financial planning for them — they will need to take charge themselves.”

Claire’s priorities might look very different now, but ten years after landing in the city, Hong Kong is still very much home for the long term.

“My life has changed dramatically since I got here,” she says. “But all these years later, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”