Robert Palache is one of the few lawyers to make the successful transition from lawyer to banker. Three years ago he left Clifford Chance to join Nomura International as director and joint head of securitisation where he worked closely with Guy Hands, head of the Principal Finance Group. Earlier this year Palache joined Barclays Capital as co-head of securitisation. Here he speaks to Mary Mullally about his passion for securitisation and why he is happier working as a banker than a lawyer
Why did you leave private
practice to become a banker?
As a lawyer I was not at all unhappy at Clifford Chance. But I trained at the firm and had been working there for 18 years. It is a very long time to be in the same job. The move into banking was a big jump for me and very daunting. I had never even had to interview for a job since training, and it was 10 years since I had had the status of employee.
