Emotional intelligence rarely appears on a list of required finance skills. For Justin Nelson, a Managing Director at JP Morgan, it sits near the top. After almost three decades in wealth management, he has come to believe that understanding people matters more than technical expertise.

Nelson is Head of the Asset Management and Financial Principals Coverage Team at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Connecticut. He leads 20 people at the firm, and the team manages more than $15 billion in assets for high-net-worth individuals and family offices across the country.

Knowing Clients Well

Many of Nelson’s client relationships span more than two decades. Interview to Money Inc, he said, “You really get to know people,” and explained that this closeness allows him to support clients financially and emotionally.

That depth matters at JP Morgan because wealthy families face decisions loaded with feeling. Passing assets to children, planning an inheritance, or managing tension between relatives all call for patience. An advisor who reads emotions accurately can keep those conversations productive and help a family move forward together.

Building a Team That Shares the Skill

Justin Nelson’s hiring reflects the same priority. He has found that psychology graduates often make strong candidates, and he describes advisory work as split roughly evenly between finance and interpersonal skill. Majors in biology, engineering, and other fields get serious consideration as well.

Justin Nelson JP Morgan argues that analytical abilities can be taught once someone joins the team, but emotional intelligence is much harder to cultivate. He would rather hire for humility, genuineness, and interest in finance, then supply the technical training.

He practiced a broad approach in his own education, earning degrees in chemistry and economics at Tufts University and an MBA from Columbia University. The result at JP Morgan is a philosophy that treats clients as people first and portfolios second. Refer to this article for more information.

Learn more about Justin Nelson JP Morgan on https://tfn.tufts.edu/blog/news/2011/10/01/member-spotlight-justin-nelson-a98-opening-doors-to-students-at-jp-morgan/