Amber Ghauri: Vice President, Wealth Advisor, Wells Fargo Private Bank

As one of the youngest advisors on her team with Wells Fargo Private Bank in Houston, Pakistan-native and single mom Amber Ghauri is not your typical VP Wealth Advisor. And she didn’t arrive to her position via your typical trajectory either.

Entering Finance on Her Terms

Born and raised in Pakistan, Ghauri moved to Houston, Texas in the middle of working toward her economics degree. Even though Amber experienced immense culture shock in a challenging international move, she completed her economics degree and then decided to stay at home for a few years to raise her first child.

While at home with her two and a half year old son, she began prepping to enter the University of Houston for her MBA in Finance. As part of the program she participated in the Cougar fund, student-led portfolio management hedge fund program.

“It’s a very sought after program and many Houston based energy and financial companies will hire you directly out of that program,” says Ghauri. “I was offered several positions, but didn’t accept any of those.”

Following graduation and expecting her second child, she stayed home for a few years, fully aware this would make her initial leap into a finance career more challenging. Adding to that challenge was the fact that she would not be coming directly out of her MBA, nor would she be licensed.

However, when Ghauri was ready in 2014, JP Morgan hired her for their investment department while supporting her to complete her CFP. She worked at JP Morgan with senior advisors for nearly five years, until she met the sponsor who would help her find her personal path to thriving.

Help in Finding Her Greater Alignment

While Ghauri was successful in her investment role at JP Morgan, she was ready for broader responsibility. It was during a single networking lunch with Amy Bracken at Wells Fargo that she received the kind of valuable external reflection that turns a key and changes everything.

“You’re not a behind the desk kind of person. You’re in the wrong role,” Bracken told her, according to Ghauri. “You’re a relationship kind of person, and that’s the role you should be taking on.”

Ghauri skeptically moved to Wells Fargo in a Wealth Advisor Associate role working for Bracken. Within three months, she was promoted to Wealth Advisor. Less than two years later, she was promoted to VP. Her combination of business acumen, investment knowledge and natural relatability propelled her to success.

As her sponsor and mentor, Bracken continues to be supportive of Ghauri whenever she is looking for career encouragement.

“Amy will impress you to no end, she is somebody that’s relatable, admires Ghauri of her mentor. “She gauges the goals of other women and enables them for success.”

Self-Advocacy, Learning and Honesty

Ghauri has thrived being a single parent, being an immigrant and being seen as young, relative to members of her team – and she’s proud of it. She shares some principles behind her success.

“I’ve always pushed for more. I was never shy in asking and putting it out there to leadership what I wanted,” she says. “If I got the opportunity or not, that’s beside the point.”

When it comes to self-advocacy, she recommends to let leadership know where your personal goals are, long term and short term.

“Talk to immediate leadership. Have the conversation you’re always hesitant to bring up,” she recommends using the opportunity of reviews. “Unless you speak for yourself, nobody else is going to.”

What energizes Ghauri in her current role is her ability to work with clients on their diverse needs through holistic wealth planning. She and her team help clients better understand their investment portfolios, create customize wealth preservation and transfer strategies, manage the asset and liabilities side of the balance sheet and provide other solutions including business valuations and M&A advisory services.

“Learn more than what you are expected to do, and more than what you’re doing in your current job capacity,” she recommends. “Broaden your knowledge base. Don’t be caught with a blank expression on your face when someone asks a question.”

Ghauri values honesty and efficiency and letting her clients know they are an important priority for her. “If you reach out to me, you’ll get a response from me quickly saying I acknowledge you”, says Amber stressing the importance of a responsive connection to others.

Coping with Disruption: Struggle To Growth

Speaking of honesty, Ghauri admits the onset of COVID-19 hit her really hard, but she has ultimately witnessed personal growth and an increased sense of her own leadership ability.

“I overcame many challenges moving to another country. I was not working until I was in my thirties. And now, the moment my career took off – I’m thinking, I’ve arrived,” she reflects. “And then COVID hit. I was feeling a deep depression.”

As a vibrant person who communicates with her entire presence, she felt the need to continue to explore ways to connect with clients in creative ways during the pandemic.

“I have a new approach and stronger bond with internal partners that has improved the way we serve clients,” she says.

When she felt concerns about the COVID having an impact on her performance, as a self-admitting strong Type A personality, she received valuable, nurturing advice from her leaders. During the stressful times of COVID, they have reminded her to put the emphasis on relationships.

“Focusing outside the relationships that sustain us can create a self-inflicted pressure which will only create more challenges” leaders advised her, according to Ghauri. They encouraged her to lean into her natural strengths of connecting and relating – even during the work from home period due to COVID.

Since Ghauri has focused her attentions away from the pressures of the job and more to the work which inspires her, she has felt herself thrive again, even though finding work/home boundaries are still a learning experience.

Ghauri has been indulging in her passion for cooking, and when she is able to, she will again enjoy avid world traveling with her two sons.

By Aimee Hansen