A thread that links many successful people is the simplicity of their business idea.
Just think about the entrepreneurs who started a mega business in their bedroom or garage.
Facebook, Apple, Google, Hewlett Packard, and Microsoft are small ideas that hit the heights despite the odds.
deVere Group, the giant international financial advisory firm, is another on the list.
The idea was to offer expats quality financial advice wherever they lived. This was a missed trick for other financial firms concentrating on country-specific advice that ignored the needs of expats and others with an internationally mobile lifestyle.
Founded by CEO Nigel Green in 2002, the company has taken the world by storm in two decades to become a world leader in expat financial services, with clients in more than 100 countries and funds exceeding $10 billion under management.
The truth about simple ideas is that many people may have them, but it’s the person who acts who earns plaudits.
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The Early Years
Nigel Green followed his father into the financial services industry based in London.
He spent 15 years learning the trade. During that time, he was crowned top advisor for Liberty Life, which was no mean feat since the firm had more than a thousand advisors. Next was Royal Life, where Green was the most successful manager in the UK for several years before moving overseas.
Green recalls taking the top sales spot for 37 months in a row.
His job took him to Bermuda, where he was introduced to the expat community, and fast realised the market had a considerable gap that ignored expats.
He saw expats needed a new kind of financial advisor. The potential was for an advisory firm that understood the possibilities and opportunities of saving and investing across international borders.
“I hate to lose,” he said. “I didn’t like working for poor managers, so I decided to start my own company with my ideas. If I had good managers, II wouldn’t have done it. It wasn’t ambition that drove me, but frustration with the way others wanted me to work.”
deVere Group
deVere & Partners marked the start of the deVere Group.
The Luxembourg-based advice firm was the first incarnation of what has become deVere Group.
deVere & Partners morphed into the deVere Group in 2002, when the first office of the latter opened in Hong Kong.
We started fast. I had people that enjoyed working with me. Within months we had offices in several countries. The goal was to be the best financial advisory group in the world. We still seek to be the best in all we do,” said Green.
A roll of honour has seen the company win countless prestigious awards from journalists and peers in the financial services industry. The awards cover all aspects of the industry, including service and innovation.
20 years the best
“deVere is a game-changer,” said Green. “We work with the best institutions to produce the best products for our clients. No one like us exists in the market. deVere is global, with a massive presence on each continent. We are resilient despite attacks from competitors. We have maintained our position as leaders in expat financial advice for nearly 20 years.”
Green and deVere are constantly innovating. For example, the firm seeks a new level of excellence in the digital era with a suite of apps to simplify savings and investing for clients.
But the most significant shift is to embrace investing in cryptocurrency with a digital wallet for the smartphone or tablet – deVere Crypto. Nigel Green is well-known in crypto circles for his often controversial and outspoken comments about the future of digital currencies and the blockchain.
So, what motivates entrepreneurs like Nigel Green to push boundaries when they have already achieved so much?
Green explains: “Motivation for me starts with leadership. I seek to lead from the front. I strive to be brave, forthright, direct, honest and hard working.
Learning every day
“Learning is another essential factor. Every day is a learning day. I can honestly say I’ve not had a day when I didn’t learn about the business, others, or myself.
“The deVere culture is important, too. We always put the client first, while we try to be adaptable, hard-working, high energy, professional, and demonstrate a growth mindset.”
To fulfil his promises, Nigel Green is not a person who stands still for long.
He is constantly moving between deVere’s offices and harnesses the drive, ambition and enthusiasm generated by his managers and staff to innovate.
That desire to progress fuels deVere’s standing as an adventurous fintech company. Besides the Crypto wallet, deVere has developed Vault, a banking app; Catalyst, which helps clients save and invest and a host of apps that help track investment portfolio performance.
And if that’s not enough, Green has a bank in Mauritius that handles asset management and investment banking services.
deVere Group is now a true conglomerate with almost 100 entities trading under the brand’s banner.
What’s next for Nigel Green?
Experience shows that Nigel Green is not a quitter. Although he is approaching retirement age, his routine of visiting offices worldwide is relentless.
Expect him to keep leading the deVere Group from the front for years to come and push ahead with more innovative fintech solutions for clients.
Green sees fintech as the future of deVere Group. He pledges that more innovative products and services are on the way. Meanwhile, Green’s trailblazing has seen his company soar into the lead as the biggest and most successful fintech provider among international financial advice organisations.
“No other firm can come close to deVere in fintech development, innovation and implementation – and we’re only just getting started,” Green said with pride.
Nigel Green, The Expat’s Entrepreneur
Does Nigel Green have a personal blog?
Yes, Nigel Green does have a personal website and blog but don’t expect to pick up investment tips or treat his musings as a pathway to financial success. Instead, Green offers his opinions but invites comments, contradictions and arguments from his readers.
“I hope to share my knowledge of this world; give my opinion on what is happening in the markets and the economies and contribute my ideas about where I believe the financial world is or should be heading,” he said.
How do expats contact deVere Group?
Expats seeking financial advice can message deVere Group through the company website or get in direct touch with their local office
Where does Nigel Green come from?
Nigel Green was born in Britain in June 1959.
How does Nigel Green relax?
As CEO and founder of such a dynamic company, an international jet-setter like Nigel Green does not have much time to relax. When enjoying private time, he is keen on maintaining his fitness and diet by visiting the gym and running. Green combines raising money for charity with his running – recently, he helped collect just shy of £200,000 for the charity Support Ukraine.
How many expat clients does deVere have?
deVere Group has more than 100,000 clients worldwide and is the largest private financial advisory firm in the sector.
What’s the next step for deVere?
Nigel Green has already announced his intention to set up a website for trading NFTs (Non-fungible tokens) and more fintech innovation with smartphone and tablet apps.
Is Nigel Green just another wealth guru?
Although Nigel Green is an occasional motivational speaker, his philosophy is to buy things that make you rich, not things that make you look rich. In other words, don’t waste money you could invest in making yourself wealthier, like courses offered by speakers promising get-rich-quick solutions.
How do I get a job with Nigel Green?
deVere Group vacancies are posted on the company’s website with recruitment information.
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