Vinit Mehta was born in Uganda and was just one when his family left during the exodus of 1972. He grew up in North London and lives with his wife and two teenage children with his parents and siblings living close by. He is a keen sports fan and a Spurs supporter, not an easy task! He attended Latymer School before studying Economics at university, after which he initially followed his passion for entrepreneurialism by investing in and working with businesses before drawing on his academic background and forging a career in financial services. After working for two corporates for several years, Vinit was invited to join the St. James’s Place Partnership in 2012 where his Practice specialises in tax-efficient estate planning and retirement solutions. Their business has grown on recommendations and his team and he have a simple motto: to exceed our clients' expectations.
1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
London: I still get a buzz out of visiting world-famous attractions and museums - probably more than tourists! Being a Londoner is something unique: I was on a sabbatical in Tanzania when the 7/7 bombings.
2) What are your proudest achievements?
My children. Seeing them develop from babies into two wonderful individuals who I can now happily hold a conversation about anything from politics to music is more rewarding than anything else I have achieved in my life. Also, building a financial advice Practice that has grown purely through recommendation rather than marketing.
3) What inspires you?
My father is my biggest inspiration. We came with virtually nothing in 1972, and yet his hard work as a pharmacist enabled him to buy a home in 6 months and his own business within a few years. He is also always been happy and willing to help anyone in need.
4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
There were unscrupulous individuals who tried to undermine me earlier in my career, but any setbacks were temporary and only made me more resilient going forward. My father taught me that integrity is everything and relationships are all about trust and always doing the right thing.
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
My wife. I always wanted to follow my father and grandfather's footsteps in having my own business, but it is impossible without having the right support behind you. Swati is my confidante for my business - as well as being a great mother and the backbone of our family.
6) What is the best aspect about your current role?
The people I meet, and the relationships built. I am a 'people person' and it gives me an enormous amount of satisfaction to help people achieve their financial goals and aspirations. I feel incredibly lucky to do be doing a job that I truly love: not everyone can say that!
7) And the worst?
The paperwork! I work in a highly regulated environment, so inevitably there is a lot of processing and administration involved. Fortunately, I have a fantastic team behind me who are extremely capable with administration (I call them the A-Team) and I focus on what I love doing - seeing clients.
8) What are your long-term goals?
My motto is to simplify the complicated: people often do not consider financial planning because it seems too scary or complex. I want to ensure that as many people as possible see the importance of planning. I also want to see financial education being introduced in schools and am promoting this.
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
Looking at my previous answer, it would be to make financial education mandatory in schools. I recently persuaded my 18-year old daughter to let me explain the importance of pensions to which she asked me why this was not taught in schools. It is a valid question that needs to be answered.
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
Muhammad Ali. He was one of my heroes when I was a child, but as I grew up, I learnt that he was far more than one of the greatest athletes of all time. He was an outstanding orator, political thinker, activist, and entertainer. I would just love to hear him talk!
