We grabbed 10 minutes with Rhodri to find out more about him and his aspirations.
Bartholomew Hawkins: Tell us a little about your upbringing
Rhodri: I went to Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend. My brother Andrew has just graduated from Portsmouth University and doing some work experience at Coors Brewery. I’ve grown up with ac accidental nickname at home as he couldn’t pronounce my very Welsh name! Because of him my family call me Og!
Bartholomew Hawkins: Are you following in your parents’ footsteps?
Rhodri: I started off doing that but veered off! My parents are pharmacists and own their own practice. I went down the medical route having done sciences and maths at A and AS level but decided that the chemistry side of things wasn’t really for me and I’m better at maths! So a financial planning/accountancy future seemed the natural step.
Bartholomew Hawkins: Why did you choose the course you’re studying at University?
Rhodri: I’m good at maths and enjoy aspects of business and thought it was common sense to do a course which I know I’d enjoy and do well at so Accounting and Finance it is!
Bartholomew Hawkins: What are the things you enjoy doing most in your spare time?
Rhodri: I enjoy playing golf and am quite competitive. Each of my close group of friends play one particular sport then we all in turn have a go! I like playing rugby but I’m a bit short for the game. Same goes for basketball. I’m too short to play the game seriously but I’ve really gotten into the NBA recently and love the competitiveness on the court. An ambition of mine is to do more travelling when I can and take the inter-rail across Europe.
Bartholomew Hawkins: What are your career aspirations?
Rhodri: I really want to be working my way up in a business and be running my own if possible. I think what Richard and Ian have done with Bartholomew Hawkins is brilliant and exciting and I’d like to be doing what they are. They seem very knowledgeable and switched on.
Bartholomew Hawkins: Would you encourage others to follow in your footsteps?
Rhodri: Yes but only if they want to do it and enjoy it. I would never try and encourage someone to do the course I’m doing unless they had a real interest in it.
Bartholomew Hawkins: What have you learnt so far during your first week?
Rhodri: I’ve definitely learnt quite a bit this week! I’ve work such as admin, scanning, shredding and research but what has interested me the most is that I have learnt that companies such as Bartholomew Hawkins deals with funds not just shares. That the world of financial planning is really quite diverse and deep and that there is a lot of work, concentration and detail that goes into choosing funds and portfolios.
Bartholomew Hawkins: Tell us something unusual about yourself!
Rhodri: I can fold my tongue in half and touch my nose with my tongue!
Bartholomew Hawkins: Well, that is certainly a good party trick! Ha!
Bartholomew Hawkins: How would your friends and family describe you?
Rhodri: My mother and brother always say ‘well of course you’re never wrong are you?!’ – I am very competitive and will do anything to prove I’m right! I’m a sore loser so winning is important to me! Out of my group of friends another friend is as competitive as me and we always have to go into opposite teams, whatever it may be, and we drive the others mad! They say I’m opinionated, aggressive (but I call it competitive!), generally happy, outgoing and I’m the main one who organises things that we do as a group.
Bartholomew Hawkins: So, it’s Toronto in Canada next for you then?
Rhodri: Yes. I’m off to York University in Toronto at the end of August to study marketing and finance models such as branding, international marketing and international financial planning. I’m looking forward to it as I’ve never been to Canada before and I hear it’s an amazing country. I''ll be returning in a year to complete my last year at Swansea.
Bartholomew Hawkins: Good luck Rhodri!
Bartholomew Hawkins Chartered Financial Planners are specialists in pensions, investments, retirement planning and estate planning. If you would like a no obligation free consultation contact us today.