There's a Good Moon on the Rise

It was a clear blue sky, bracing and crisp outside the day after I tendered my resignation. There was also a full moon in the sky. As my new boss Philip put it, echoing the Hong Kong colleagues he's worked with for many years, "The Feng Shui is very good". And indeed it feels that way. 

After 15 years you build quite a network. I've received a lot of wonderful messages and calls from colleagues. People had particularly encouraging things to say about making it through the challenges of the last three difficult years with honour and integrity intact. And I'm very proud of what the team achieved in rebuilding the desk, regaining our standing with investors, and deepening the bench. I had always promised myself that if and when it came time to move on, I would try to exit on a high note. The European markets may be in disarray, but the European Equity Sales desk at UBS in London has never had higher rankings with clients in the City.  

That said, the move feels like jumping ship from an aircraft carrier - indomitable but slow, prone to frequent breakdowns and questionable navigation, where one spends much of the time sweeping the decks - to being captain of a PT boat - more exposed, but much nimbler and with some awesome firepower. And certainly more invigorating to maneuver. Last Friday, I met my new chieftains for a festive lunch at Gaucho, the Argentine restaurant in the shadow of my former employer in Broadgate. It was their choice, unprompted and fitting given that may well end up being our first stop on "gardening leave" tour - Argentina. Conversation revolved around the steak and the Malbec, not to mention the Armagnac, and centered on business as you would expect, but we took in the art of fly fish tying, Parisian children's couture, New Zealand volcanoes and the magical powder on the Japanese Island of Hokkaido at this time of year. Good to find some like-minded people in the industry.

PT Boat 728 moored besides Garrett's "office"

A very "spirited" lunch made for a slow start on Saturday morning (yes, the after-effects lasted that long...), and a scramble to get the Girls to French Club and start tying up loose ends, logistics etc with the prospect of travelling so soon. Where will we stay? The hunt for leads among friends is on. Before the New Year I will try to do some planning ahead for the re-entry into a new role. Link up with former colleagues of course, but also try to get to Vilnius to put some of my father's work on auction, and split for the Swiss Alps with Al (and maybe the Kochevrins? Rory and Sabrina?). First things first though, taking the Girls to school on a sunny Monday morning, then stopping off at the Mount Street Deli around the corner for a fine morning coffee. A daily ritual I could get used to...