Kate Simpson, Vice President, Global Clearing, J.P. Morgan
What’s one significant way coronavirus has affected your work?
As an industry, I think we are incredibly fortunate at J.P. Morgan to have the infrastructure and technology to be able to work effectively from home. At an exchange and CCP level , it is encouraging to see the continuation of new product and service launches globally. The dynamics between what has been happening at an economic level and how that drives the strategies of global exchanges and CCPs have been fascinating. The FIA Asia regular catchups have been invaluable; it’s now more important than ever to stay connected as an industry. Personally, while the adjustment to working remotely has been seamless, I do miss the ability to have in-person interactions with my team.
What’s a typical day like for you right now as we “shelter in place”?
The day starts with a sunrise walk and Zoom call with my father in Dublin to catch up on the news from Europe. When the business day begins, I speak with exchanges and CCPs with respect to new product launches, understanding the drivers and client benefit behind them. A priority is ensuring that we align our products with the regulatory changes in response to COVID-19. As a team, we are actively organizing virtual meetings, especially with our global counterparts, to get real time feedback about what people are experiencing in different locations. The week concludes with a Friday evening Zoom cooking class with my mother, which is something nice to look forward to at the end of the week .
What’s something that has given you hope for the future after this pandemic?
The resiliency of people around me and our amazing ability to adapt. We are often tougher than we give ourselves credit for and I’m confident we will all bounce back.
