My interest in the stock markets began during my childhood, my father had a portfolio and invested in shares. In particular he was fascinated by penny stocks and he received a monthly penny stock magazine which I read and which he explained to me.
At the University of Kent at Canterbury I studied Law and specialised in Business and Company Law. I studied under Professor Carl Schmitthoff who wrote and edited the standard textbooks on Company Law. My dissertation was entitled: A Comparative Study of Company Law between the UK, Germany and France 1862 – 1982. I won a scholarship to study European Law at the Europa Instituut, Amsterdam for one year, where I got my MA.
From 1983 to 1990 I worked as an accountant, and learnt especially in drafting company accounts, company valuations and analysis of company financial statements.
In 1990 I moved to Munich, Germany where I got a job as a stockbroker, with Signature Equities a branch of a US brokerage. I was the best broker for two years in a row and after a holiday in Vienna decided to open my own stock brokerage. Here I learnt how to open a business, manage and finance it making all the classic mistakes people make when they open a business.
Brown & Lampe GmbH was based in the Vienna Stock Exchange building and became very successful. I trained brokers in all aspects of the US stock markets.
In addition, I trained brokers in cold-calling, opening accounts and loading clients and how to keep clients up to date with their portfolios.
I sold the company in 2005 and ever since have kept my interest in the subject and currently still work privately as a broker, working even with clients from my time in Vienna. I work with reputable brokers in the US, people I know and trust now for over thirty years.
I am able to analyse companies and recognise scam offers and differentiate between different offers. I sometimes am involved in start up companies that then intend to move to a stock exchange.
I speak and write German and French as a native speaker and writer.
