Tom Burgess

Tell everyone a little bit about yourself?

Tom Burgess: I was born and raised in Bournemouth on the South Coast. I have a family with my wife and two young boys, aged 8 and 6, who I spend most of my time with. I play golf when I can and I’m getting back into playing football which my knees are hating me for, but it’s good exercise.

I’ve been at GLAS for three years. Before that, I worked at the Bank of New York for 10 years, and prior to that, I briefly worked for JP Morgan. I also worked as a holiday rep, but that’s a different story.

Could you describe your journey at GLAS and what your role entails?

Tom Burgess: I started as a supervisor in a new role to assist Paul Cattermole, the Head of Debt Capital Markets, in establishing an operations structure. I’ve since been promoted to team leader and now oversee reports. Previously, the debt capital markets team had a very flat structure, but that’s recently changed.

I now look after the debt capital markets operations team. This team looks after all aspects of the life cycle of a bond, from initial settlement through to maturity, and any actions in between. We also support the transaction managers on the DCM side during any events, such as consents or big restructurings that they’re looking after.

What do you like most about working at GLAS, and do you enjoy being a team leader?

Tom Burgess: The people. I’ve got a fantastic team with an abundance of knowledge that we share, and a great team ethos where we support each other through the highs and lows. I believe having a great team is a big part of a good work-life.

I also enjoy the people side of leadership, especially seeing the development of less experienced employees. I’m fortunate to have Tom Bolton, who I’ve known since our time at the Bank of New York, for his vast experience and knowledge. I also have Sam Tanner and Sam Dunn, whose progress I love to see. I’m very open and approachable, maintaining good relationships with them both at work and outside. It’s great, and I really enjoy it.

Based on your experience, how does GLAS differ from other companies, and what do you think makes the GLAS culture unique?

Tom Burgess: It might sound cliché, but it feels like a family here, which makes the company stand out from others I’ve worked for, especially big corporate banks.

I would never go back to that world.

It’s also great to see the co-founders, Mia and Jo. Usually, you wouldn’t see the top people at most companies, and I have a great relationship with Jo who I speak to regularly.

It’s brilliant.

GLAS has a unique team ethos, not just within my smaller DCM team, which is constantly growing, but with everyone we interact with from different parts of the company. People don’t have the mindset of ‘this is my role and that’s it.’ Instead, people from all teams are always asking, ‘How can I help?’ ‘We’re all part of one big team. Let’s get it done.’

Do you enjoy your job and has anything surprised you about your current role?

Tom Burgess: I do yes, very much so.

I’ve also recommended three or four people who are my friends who now work for GLAS as well.

Before I joined GLAS, I had 10 years of experience at the Bank of New York and thought I knew most of what I needed, but I definitely didn’t. There are so many different quirks to what we do. It surprised me how much more I need to learn.

But it’s brilliant; every day I learn something new, which is cool.

What would you say is the most interesting project you’ve worked on at GLAS?

Tom Burgess: When I first joined, there wasn’t a system for managing bonds or a central record-keeping tool. We’ve since partnered with a major US-based third-party provider to implement this tool.

This collaboration helps them understand the European market while ensuring their solutions meet GLAS’s needs. It’s been a fascinating and evolving process, and we’re still working with them, hoping to adopt more of their systems.

What is the one thing that you wish people knew about your job?

Tom Burgess: I think a lot of people see operations as very one-dimensional.

But our team isn’t just handling the bonds life cycle; we’re also helping transaction managers with various tasks. It’s interesting and means no two days are the same. Most people probably wouldn’t think that from just the team’s title.