Witad Awards 2022: Consultant of the year—Sara Baker, CJC Ltd

As a senior consultant for market data at CJC, Sara Baker’s drive to find the optimal solutions to client-facing challenges fuels her. 

Her experience of over 20 years in the capital markets, coupled with her big picture approach to making decisions regardless of complexity, often leads her to propose out-of-the-box solutions that improve processes. 

The Covid-19 pandemic forced organizations around the world to move to remote or hybrid remote working models, demonstrating that firms do not always need staff on-site to support their business. This put CJC in a position to offer bespoke managed solutions. 

Baker implemented strategies to ensure the team put customer service first and ensured clients’ wellbeing. But after continuously prioritizing excellent customer service, she recognized that the team’s training had slowed. So, she did what a natural leader would do: She put her team through robust training programs to further develop their abilities. 

She also initiated weekly team meetings where the team members would take turns sharing knowledge, information, and tips. These meetings offer a platform for sharing across the team regardless of location. 

Throughout the pandemic, CJC recruited several new team members. While training was often successful, it was not always guaranteed. Baker identified that a singular onboarding approach to training new staff did not always align with the needs of the new employees. 

She worked to understand their individual needs and tailored their training accordingly. She ran regular checkups and reviews of each new member’s progress and continuously fine-tuned the onboarding process. She learned some members excelled when allocated time to work with the extended team, while others needed more one-to-one time. 

Team members faced different challenges during the initial lockdowns—for example, those with children were juggling work and homeschooling, while those living alone were coping with feelings of isolation. So, to bring her team together, Baker initiated a virtual office workspace on Microsoft Teams between 9 am and 5 pm where the team could log on, collaborate, and support each other in a flexible and inclusive environment.

The staff began virtual monthly team-building events, such as a cocktail-making class. These sessions helped maintain close relationships and provided lighthearted respite from the pandemic.