Money & Me: ‘Getting back on track after a financial setback in my 40s is a milestone’

Roberto d’Ambrosio, chief executive of global broker Axiory, considers an apartment in south Italy and his Ducati motorbike cherished purchases

Roberto D'Ambrosio, chief executive of Axiory, saves part of his income but also believes life needs to be enjoyed. Antonie Robertson / The National

Roberto d’Ambrosio experienced the highs and lows as a novice trader at the beginning of his career and this experience helped him become more aware of risk and to hone his skills in investing and risk management.

Today, the Italian, 55, is the chief executive of Axiory, a global brokerage group, and has evolved from a novice trader to become an expert in governance, risk and compliance, with exposure to multiple jurisdictions worldwide.

His career within the financial services spans more than 25 years.

“I carry a deep understanding of financial markets given my role as a trader, investment manager and adviser within the regulated and alternative investment space,” he says.

Mr d’Ambrosio also serves as an independent non-executive director and investment committee member in licensed entities within the financial sector and runs his consultancy company in Dubai.

After visiting the UAE a few times, he moved to Dubai in 2021 and lives with his wife in Dubai Marina.

His academic credentials include a BA in law, an MBA from the Henley Business School, and a post graduate diploma in governance, risk and compliance with the ICA/Alliance Manchester Business School.

He has also submitted his dissertation for an MSC in compliance and financial fraud in the digital society with the University of Manchester.

Did wealth feature in your childhood? What did you learn from it?

I come from a middle-class family, and wealth in monetary terms did not play a specific role in my childhood at the start and became more important over time as our income increased substantially.

We were never to be considered rich, though, and what really impacted my upbringing was the fact that I was fortunate enough to travel the world since I was a toddler, leaving Italy at the age of 2.5 years to move to Saudi Arabia for four years, then Egypt, Nigeria, Greece, Cameroon, El Salvador and many more countries.

How did you first earn?

I started off as a proprietary trader with my family money, learning the hard way how to approach and respect financial markets. I was able to substantially increase the initial capital and then be hardly hit by market volatility.

Any early financial jolts?

Definitely yes. At the early stage of my engagement with financial markets as a trader, I have earned a lot and lost a lot. I have gone through all the major financial crises and collapses since the 90s, always learning more about how to effectively approach trading and investing and driving me towards being a professional in risk management.

I also had a major setback in my 40s, which took a lot of willpower, grit and effort to overcome, which I consider one of my greatest achievements.

How do you grow your wealth?

I tend to keep the debt leverage low and have a balanced portfolio for the core part of my wealth.

Leveraging my experience as a trader and investor, I tend to actively manage my portfolio, constantly rebalancing it and keeping a part of it actively traded into more volatile assets. Real estate is also part of the mix but kept to a manageable percentage of the total wealth to avoid liquidity issues.

Are you a spender or a saver?

I do spend, but rarely overspend. I save a relevant part of my income, but I do think that life needs to be lived and enjoyed here and now, still without overdoing it.

Have you been wise with money?

I must admit that I have not always been wise. Especially at the beginning of my career as a trader, I became overconfident and cocky, which is the worst thing that can happen to a relatively novice, and even seasoned, trader.

Based on that experience, I have built a wealth of knowledge that allowed me to become more risk aware, still facing risk as a threat and an opportunity.

I still have a medium to high risk appetite and tolerance, but always trying to keep a balance between exposure to volatility and more conservative assets, and keeping enough liquid assets to both manage unforeseeable life events and take advantage of investment opportunities over time.

What has been your best investment?

My best investment cannot be directly quantified in monetary terms, but surely contributed massively to what I am now, and that is investing in self-growth and constant education.

This is the kind of investment that surely yields the highest returns over time, both in monetary terms and personal and professional fulfilment.

Any cherished purchases?

An apartment in south Italy, where I currently reside during my visit to my home country. It was an excellent investment as I managed to buy the place at a very convenient price, plus accessing a mortgage at a very low fixed rate.

Besides that, I love being there, as it is perfectly positioned to fulfil all my professional and personal needs and passions.

And my cherished Ducati motorbike!

How do you feel about money?

Let me say this straight: money is an essential part of a balanced life. Of course, it cannot be the sole focus in life, not even the main focus, but money needs to be respected and used wisely, so to serve its purpose to support one’s personal and professional projects and what matters to him the most: the health and well-being of his family and loved ones.

I learnt the hard way how to respect and properly handle money, and that is now something I try to pass on to others in my activity as a public speaker, publisher and mentor.

Any financial advice for your younger self?

Do not waste time and talent! Those are the sins I committed and that many young people commit.

Time is a finite commodity, and once wasted there is no way to get it back. Talent is a gift, but it’s nothing without commitment and hard work, and wasting it is a shame.

Any key financial milestones?

I had a major setback in my 40s. Getting back on track, paying off all my dues and getting back to consistently growing my wealth is the financial milestone that I consider to be the most important in my life, a critical, life-changing turning point.

What luxuries are important to you?

Finding the time to nurture my passions and spend time with my loved ones, which is a real luxury given the busy executive life and related time schedule.

Besides that, I am fond of real estate, motorbikes and, notwithstanding how much I travel for my professional engagements, flying everywhere I can to visit new places and meet new people and cultures.

What are your financial goals?

My financial goals are not set in specific monetary terms. I want to be able to create enough wealth not only to provide a comfortable life to my loved ones, but also to contribute to projects to give back to society, to help the less fortunate, both in my home country and in the country that hosts me.

That is what I would like to dedicate myself to as my professional commitments will fade a bit over time.