Welcome to our Guru Spotlight series, where you get to meet the people behind EstateGuru and find out what makes them tick, what drives their ambitions and what makes them unique.
Today, we chat with Artur Sanglepp, who is Group Senior Legal Counsel for EstateGuru.
Artur has been with EstateGuru for almost a year and left the world of mainstream legal practice behind to join the exciting and challenging arena of alternative finance. And, as you will see, he most certainly does not fit the stereotypical idea of a lawyer.
Question: Hi Artur, thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Let’s get straight into the important stuff. Can you tell us, beyond just your job title, what is your mission at EstateGuru?
Answer: I want to be a beacon of positivity, to be someone who ties the team together. As I deal with legal issues, it is important to me that I am someone people can rely on in difficult and often stressful situations. That is what I hope to achieve as my mission.
Q: In terms of EstateGuru’s key values (growth-orientation, boldness, freedom, honesty, determination, and empathy), which one would you say resonates the most with you, and how do you witness it in action?
A: Of these values, if I am completely honest, and which probably sounds funny coming from a lawyer, the most important is empathy. Why I highlight this above the others is because there is still too little of it in the world. We need more empathy, more understanding of each other’s stories and where we come from. I believe that we definitely have the basis of an organisational culture that very much supports this value, both in terms of diversity and the capacity to see behind the role of the person and see their true self. So yes, definitely empathy.
Q: What do you like most about working at EstateGuru?
A: That’s a tough one (laughs). If I had to pick, and this is also why I joined, I would say the diversity of the team, the fact that it is such an international mix of people. There’s never a dull moment, the scope of our work, the mix of people, all make it really enjoyable for me.
Q: Now, let’s look beyond work a bit. Tell us something interesting about yourself. What do you do when you’re not working.
A: During our recent Summer Days, people may have been surprised to discover that I am an experienced DJ. I am passionate about music, and I have DJ’d at many venues, playing especially techno music in the past, but recently I have been focused on what you’d call ‘warm weather music’, playing a lot of dancehall and reggaeton music. I also enjoy sports very much, and I love the fact that EstateGuru is full of sports freaks.
I also like all of the things that give life flavour and colour. Culture, history, languages also fascinate me and I usually have some side-project going on. At the moment I am learning Spanish, and I’m currently at a B2 level, which means I can have a decent conversation, but of course, I am striving to reach the highest level, which is C2.
Q: You’re also known as a well-travelled guy.
A: Oh yes, I love to travel to far-flung places. The odd thing is I used to be very afraid of flying, but these days I am very excited to be at the airport and ready for take-off. After my third or fourth trans-continental flight, the fear is no longer an issue. I am a huge fan of Caribbean culture and that area of the world. Central America, Jamaica and the small islands. I would highly recommend that area of the world to anyone looking for a great travel experience.
Q: Last, but not least, can you give advice to anyone looking to join EstateGuru, and why should exceptional talents consider joining?
A: I think the world is changing and the finance world, in particular, is changing. EstateGuru is a prime example of this process of change and if you are looking to be a part of this process, then EstateGuru presents a unique opportunity to join an organisation that is, on the one hand, strong and established, on the other hand also rapidly developing and offering the challenges of an international company. For someone with a special talent or special skills, they will be presented with different challenges on a daily basis. We deal with problems and developments that have often never occurred before. This is really inspiring and guaranteed to get you going and keep you motivated. For me, who joined from a classic law firm setting, my settling in was a good example of how, after a period of adaptation, being part of this community and part of this process of development and change are very, very rewarding.
Q: Thank you very much for your time, Artur.
A: My pleasure.
Want to join our awesome team? Check out the vacancies on our jobs page here
