Q&A: How to impress Mark Little, Managing Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland at the wealth and investment management division of Barclays - and how a herd of elephants nearly robbed him of the opportunity.

Mark Little is heading up the wealth and investment division of Barclays in Scotland at a time of significant growth as the company plans to further grow the business and to continue gaining market share.

Barclays currently employs over 2,000 people in Scotland and in January opened its newly renovated office in Edinburgh's Melville Crescent, alongside its existing offices in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Barclays is looking for two more graduates to join its wealth and investment management team in Scotland this year, and there’s also the opportunity to come through its 'Embark' programme for people who want to swap into banking from other careers.

Q: How long have you been in financial services?

Mark: Ever since I started work for PwC in 1985. Accountancy is a brilliant starting point for a financial services career because by age 24 you can be meeting FTSE 100 MDs - very useful experience.

Q: Has your career path been conventional or capricious?

Mark: Conventional, in that I have always stayed in financial services, but each time I've moved to a different kind of role. From being an audit manager at PwC I joined Scottish Widows as a fund manager, then Deutsche Bank in Edinburgh as an equities analyst, where I ultimately headed up part of the global equities team selling research to major fund managers.

Then I was headhunted to this job - but it nearly killed me.

After leaving Deutsche Bank I took a game ranger course in South Africa. I was about 100 yards away from a herd of elephants - a very vulnerable position - when my mobile rang. Fortunately I managed to silence it before the elephants charged. When I called back later, it was a head-hunter suggesting my present job.

Q: What matters most, talent or hard work?

Mark: It's a mixture. No matter how talented you are, you still need to have drive, ambition and the determination to work hard in order to succeed.

Q: What would you advise people to do before they step into an interview with you?

Mark: Prepare thoroughly, so that you can interview me as much as I am interviewing you. Think about how to show your enthusiasm for investment and stock markets, and where you want to take your career. I want you to be the kind of person who will be equally at home talking to an elderly individual or an entrepreneurial with their own business. I want to interview people who are interested and interesting and who share in our passion and ambition to take this business to the next level

Q: What do you now know about working in financial services that you wish you'd known 15 years ago?

Mark: How rewarding it is developing the talents of your staff. Fifteen years ago I was just responsible for my own job. Now I'm directly responsible for a significant business with major growth aspirations

I also wish I'd known that there is nothing wrong with asking for help sometimes. Fifteen years ago, faced with a problem, I’d have battled on alone. Now I'm mature enough to ask my boss for help when necessary - it’s a sign of strength.

Q: You are only allowed to hire one person over the next six months. Can you describe their ideal profile?

Mark: They would be a business go-getter, well networked in Scottish financial services, passionate about providing an exceptional client experience and a team player. As someone who has played rugby, cricket, and golf at high levels, and still skis and plays football each week, I also think it's important that they should enjoy having fun.

Q: What will your business area look like in 2015 - in no more than three sentences?

Mark: The asset management market will be bigger, and we will be a bigger part of it. At present we manage about £3bn in assets in Scotland, but this is only the start. With our strong lead, by 2015 I hope we will be the biggest wealth and investment manager in Scotland.

Q: I want to work for you. What will persuade you to hire me?

Mark: A big personality and the ability to fit into the Barclays culture.