Name:  Caroline Higgins

Role:  Head of Global Fund Services Asia Pacific

Business Unit:  Asset Servicing

Geographic Location:  Northern Trust Australia (Sydney)

Career Level:  Senior Vice President

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1.      Describe your role at Northern Trust

I am the Regional Head of Global Fund Services in APAC. I am responsible for overseeing services to global investment managers including fund administration,  global custody, transfer agency, investment operations outsourcing and data solutions – supporting a range of complex investment strategies across the full spectrum of asset classes.

I am currently based in Australia, and my focus is on pulling together Northern Trust’s global capabilities to expand regional products and services for Northern Trust’s asset manager clients as we see increasing opportunity to use our solutions to provide value to clients in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

2.      Describe your team – who’s part of your team, where are they located, what diversity of perspective do the team members bring to the work of your group?

My team reflects geographical diversity across the Asia-Pacific region, with team members in Manila, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and a key individual in Luxembourg. This diversity brings a variety of perspectives, insights, and experiences to the group, fostering a more well-rounded and globally aware team.

I see these diverse perspectives adding value as each of my team member bring a wide range of cultural backgrounds, experiences, viewpoints to their work with our clients. Their insights allow for a deeper understanding of different markets, regulations, and client needs across regions.

Overall, the diversity in gender, geographic locations, personality traits, DISC profile, and professional backgrounds within my team leads to a rich exchange of ideas and a more inclusive and globally minded approach to achieving our goals.

 

3.      What brought you to Northern Trust? Briefly describe your career path. What made you decide to work at Northern Trust in your current role?

I was born in the UK to Irish parents, so I am an Irish national and Australian citizen and I have a right to live in Hong Kong. We moved us to Australia when I was 2 years of age. It was a common thing for Irish people to emigrate at the time to pursue opportunities, which is what my parents did. You will find large populations of Irish people all over the world for such a small nation and you will nearly always find an Irish pub in the country you visit.

From a recommendation, I tool a junior role in a stock brokerage firm, so I fell into it really. The Financial Services industry was just developing and there were lots of opportunities. It continued to grow and became more global then and I never looked back.

 

4.      Can you describe a particular project you’ve worked on that you loved and what was great about the experience?

In the midst of the global pandemic, when I was Head of HK, Macau and Taiwan - I found myself facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainties. The sudden shift to remote work, geopolitical tensions and the profound impact of the crisis on our partners' lives called for a new level of empathy, understanding, and inclusivity in our approach to leadership.

Recognizing the importance of supporting our employees holistically, we initiated a series of dialogues and listening sessions to understand their unique challenges and concerns during the pandemic. We encouraged open and honest conversations, creating a safe space for employees to share their experiences and voice their needs aka #ContinuousConversation.

One of the impactful initiatives that emerged from these dialogues was the implementation of enhanced benefits for our employees' partners and families. Understanding the critical role that family support plays in employee well-being and productivity, we introduced flexible work arrangements, expanded healthcare coverage, and additional resources to support families facing challenges due to the pandemic.

By letting DE&I principles guide our actions and decisions, we not only supported our employees in a time of crisis but also fostered a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and care within our organization. As a leader, I learned that true inclusivity requires us to open ourselves up to the experiences and perspectives of others, allowing them to shape our approach and enrich our understanding of diversity in all its forms.

 

(Caroline Higgins speaking at the Robert Walters office in Sydney, Australia for their breakfast masterclass series)

 

5.      What’s a typical “day-in-the-life” at Northern Trust look like for you? What would your ideal workday look like?

My days are very varied, and no two days are alike. The bulk of my time is spent focusing on our clients, becoming familiar with our clients’ needs, and refamiliarizing myself now with the nuances of Australian market.  As my team remind me, Australia tax and time zones are the hurdles. I have a strong interest in how we operate globally and our global franchise of clients, so spend a lot of my time with EMEA. Outside of that I am focused on our partners, governance and resiliency.

 

6.      What do you like best about working at Northern Trust?

Being a role model for working parents and championing the growth and development of our people.

 

7.      What technology/technologies have you been excited to work with here at Northern Trust?

Well, if I focus on the bad part first, which is that nobody wants to change and it’s hard to get people to change. But the great thing about transformation is taking people on a journey and at the end of the transformation seeing the difference it makes to their life and the day job. Transformation when rolled out successfully frees us up to do other things as a company which is a great reward for us all. But there is a challenge to get there but it will be worth it.

 

8.      How has Northern Trust supported your career objectives / development?

Northern Trust has been instrumental in supporting my career objectives and professional growth through various avenues, including:

- Offering mentorship and coaching from experienced leaders within the organization. Having advocates within Northern Trust, has greatly helped my career grow.

-  Continuous learning and skill development to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

- Promoting a culture of internal mobility and advancement - to explore diverse roles and career paths within the company.

 

9.      What’s unique about Northern Trust’s culture that enables you to create, innovate, make an impact or lead effectively?

Northern Trust's culture is characterized by authenticity, trust, collaboration, and a community of passionate individuals who are dedicated to making a positive impact.

Our culture sets us apart from other companies by placing a high value on authenticity, trust, collaboration, and passion, creating a workplace where employees feel inspired, motivated, and empowered to achieve greater in their roles.  We also take great pride is our values of service, integrity and expertise.

 

10.   How do you create a balance between work and home? What are some activities outside of work that help you cultivate joy, gratitude, enjoyment and wellbeing?

I am naturally an early riser; I like to get up early and do some exercise. It helps steer my mind or set my mind for the day. I try to take complex situations and make them as simple as possible and remove noise from situations. I also try to find a little bit of humor and see the lighter side of things. I think this is important. There is a lot of going on for our teams and I need to be the voice of reason, keep calm and be able to prioritize with a little bit of humor thrown in.

 

11.   What career advice would you give to those within Northern Trust or those looking to join Northern Trust?

I really would like to share that a key message for any career growth is the importance of lateral moves and stretch assignments. I would highly recommend that you lean in and put your hand up for different roles. I have been in a variety of roles from client facing to Transfer Agency and have been involved in many projects. A lot of my work involved operations and managing people and most of what I learned about starting up a new team I learned in lateral moves. Moves don’t have to be associated with new titles or salary increases. They will provide you with a holistic background and the ability to look at things from different perspectives. Lateral moves should also be open to different countries and locations. Short term assignments are also key to your growth and development and learning more about yourself. This is how I came to Asia. While I worked in State Street, I moved to Asia to set up a new team and found myself still there 17 years later. Don’t rule out a lateral move to grow your career and you as a person.

 

FAST FACTS

 

1.      Hometown / where are you living now

Based in Sydney Australia - but I have a strong cultural family background and I would call myself a global citizen. My family are from different parts of the world, so I see myself as a global citizen now equally strong in many cultures. We are fortunate as a family to have strong European connections. My husband for example comes from Portugal.

 

2.      Do you have a pet(s)?

None at the moment but would love to -  my son and I are planning to adopt a dog

 

3.      What are you reading / podcast recommendation?

My favorite book at school was and still is ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee. I have read it many times and love the movie. I enjoyed how the main character ‘Atticus Finch’ played by Gregory peck in the movie stood up for those that were persecuted at the time and stood up for what was right even if there were ramifications and he accepted differences in people. I also love audio books and movies and musicals and net flix. My favorite 2 musicals would be ‘Cats’ and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat’. We did that at school, and I always remember doing it and having a laugh at how poorly we did it.

I don’t use Spotify, but my husband does. However, I do like all types of music with U2 being one of my favorites to listen to.

 

4.      Comfort food

Love chocolate, noodles or toasted cheese and ham sandwich

 

5.      Best advice you’ve received (work or non-work related)

The best piece of advice I received was from a female partner in BBH. She once said to me to always be present in what you do. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend on a task but always be present for it. Even if it’s only for 1 hour with your kids then be present for it and give them 100% of your attention. By doing this you will get the outcomes you are looking for.

 

Careers at Northern Trust

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