Bethany Carter Ottens, Assistant Director
We spoke to Assistant Director Bethany Carter Ottens about working at the National Wealth Fund.
Tell us what attracted you to join the National Wealth Fund?
I was excited about the National Wealth Fund’s mission to support regional growth, as this is longstanding challenge for the UK. I was also drawn to the opportunity to have a real-world impact, working alongside local authorities to finance and accelerate projects that can make a difference in their local area.
What does your role involve?
As an Assistant Director in the Local Authority Function, I work with authorities across the UK to help them solve financial and commercial challenges. This includes arranging loans and providing advisory support on projects which support net zero or local growth.
What is the National Wealth Fund like to work for?
It’s a unique blend of commercial and mission-driven work, which makes it both challenging and rewarding. The Local Authority team is made up of staff with varied backgrounds, including local government, banking and consulting. There’s always lots to learn from one another and everyone is committed to working collaboratively to achieve the National Wealth Fund’s missions.
What were you doing before you joined the Fund, and how has your experience helped with the role you are now doing?
I spent nearly a decade at HM Treasury advising Ministers on government policy and strategy, with a focus on public finance, financial services and corporate finance. That experience gave me an understanding of complex problem solving and mechanisms to crowd-in private investment, which I now apply to help authorities tackle complex challenges.
What are your highlights/ proudest achievements since joining the National Wealth Fund?
My proudest moments are always when a local authority client expresses genuine gratitude for the support we’ve provided. We work with amazing people in local authorities, but they are often really overstretched with limited financial and commercial experience. It’s really rewarding to feel as though we’ve helped an authority overcome a problem they were struggling with.
What are you looking forward to next at the National Wealth Fund?
I’m excited about the launch of the Regional Project Accelerator. It’s a change to focus our efforts on supporting authorities on the projects with the greatest potential, supporting local leaders and making a real difference to local growth.
What would you say to anyone thinking of applying for a role here?
If you enjoy tackling complex challenges and want to work at the intersection of the public and private sector, then this could be the place for you.