Sinéad is part of Greenman since October last year when she joined the distribution team in Dublin as Manager Capital Equity Markets. We would like to find out more about her role and the investment industry she works in, so take a moment to read the interview with Sinéad, in which she gives insights into the German grocery market.

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to work in the investment industry?

I’m delighted to be part of the Greenman family as the most recent member of the team. I’ve worked within the financial sector for the last nine years (where does time go!) after studying business and unsure where that would take me. It’s incredible to think about the opportunities this industry has given me, and how my career has progressed along the journey. Before my role with Greenman I spent some years as a financial advisor which made me realise how important financial knowledge is, this experience gave me a passion for increasing financial literacy and working with people. I think this passion drives me to experience more of what the industry holds and enjoy the fact that I am always learning.

What part of your role are you enjoying the most?

I’m in the privileged position of working for a company that’s incredibly innovative. Since starting in October, I’ve visited our portfolio in Germany meeting tenants and the teams on the ground, seen beehives up close and personal, driven a virtual reality car in one of our flagship centres in Berlin, and met great financial advisors all across Ireland – no week is the same. I get to then share and communicate all of these experiences back to the advisors I meet. People are central to my role, and I love working with people – hearing their stories and insights and getting to share cups of coffee over great discussions.

What did you find most interesting to learn about German grocery retail?

Apart from the fact that Lidl and Aldi are not brothers – which is a common myth! – I think the retail culture is very interesting in Germany. Ireland has a strong ‘cornershop culture’, whereas that differs completely in Germany. The fact that c. 280,000 people visit our stores every day is truly amazing and shows the scale of the food retail sector. German grocers are also very active in trying to secure market share, the market is more condensed, therefore this is adding to the competitiveness and strength of the sector.