How important is a highly attractive, high functioning spouse?

29 June 2009

1 minute read

How important is a highly attractive, high functioning spouse?

Following the eulogy to the fragrant Diane Jenkins in the weekend Telegraph, it's worth revisiting the contribution that Diane has allegedly made to the career of husband Roger Jenkins, the executive chairman of Barclays Investment Banking and Investment Management for the Middle East.

Diane, a Bosnian who met Jenkins while at City University, is rumoured to have had a role in endearing Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani to him. The Sheikh, who manages the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, bought a 15% stake in Barclays earlier this year, enabling the bank to reject an investment from the British government.

Although Diane is something of a socialite, the Jenkinses, the Sheikh and his wife apparently enjoy quiet nights in eating lamb and pasta for four at home.

Now that client relationships are resurgent, are alpha spouses mandatory for success in banking? Or can you still get by with someone who reheats ready meals and thinks Botox is a character from Asterix?

AUTHORAnonymous

Insider Comment

Be
Beast
11 July 2009
I'll second that last post. Are Anon and Nikky the only people over 16 on this board?
Reply
Ni
Nikky
8 July 2009
As side from the last comment by Anon , you all have completely lost the plot. Anyone who ends up with their spouse purely for monetary gain will find out that when things go bad, their fair weather spouse will go along as well.
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Li
Liam
7 July 2009
Thinking botox is a character from Asterix is definitely a positive attribute. :-)
Reply
an
anon
4 July 2009
I am a high profile deal maker in a Large bank (still have my job). I personally make it a point not to socialise and make sure even if I have to be in such boring so called personal relationship meetings, never bring up my family life or my business associates' personal lives
my business associates know that i am there for business like i know they are for business - if we can get together to make money so be it - personal lives are too private to be touched/meddled
Bringing in personal relationship equations in businesses mean
1. the parties are insecure
2. one of the two parties is about to get ripped off
3. somone is doing a favour out of their way so their ego need to be massaged or they need to be given false sense of importance
4. Building business on a spouse's flirting capacity is SHAMEFUL - there is another undesirable name to those kind of tactics
5. Nobody business associate is important enought to invade my personal space
genuine friendships during a course of business are all together different
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PE
PEDirector
1 July 2009
I quite like the asian variety of spouse (regular, not pygmy). Very subservient I am told......
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