Richard Butler joined the Amos Bursary as an inaugural scholar in 2009 and he says he has flashbacks of the inaugural event at The House of Lords to this day. “Accompanied by parents who looked upon me with a great sense of pride, I was astonished at the diverse mix of individuals who had gathered to support young men like me. From that day onwards I realised that success is not a destination but a continual journey; a never-ending one that is only fulfilled by continually striving for better no matter what.”
Just a few months into his engagement with the Bursary, he suffered his first real setback in life, one that would push him to his physical and emotional limits. During the summer of 2009 at just 17 years old, he found himself bedridden and seven emergency operations later, facing the reality of learning how to walk again. He says the Bursary was pivotal in his ability to make it through this time. “The Bursary provided peer and professional support, extra tuition and development sessions and ultimately a platform for me to grow, make mistakes and learn to make better choices for my future”.
Despite this setback, Richard went on to graduate from Coventry University with a BSc in Economics in 2013 and now works on the Board of the AMOS Bursary helping to shape and spearhead the organisation into the future.
Richard commends his late mother, Grace Butler, as his greatest inspiration. “Angels often come in many forms, but one thing consistent is that they never leave your side. This year I turned the milestone age of 30 and took note of all of the challenges, opportunities and learnings I had experienced over the years and one main reflection was that I’ve become the man my mum prayed for me to be.
Mother was a kind and sweet soul, someone who always had a smile on her face waiting for me when I returned home. No matter what educational stage or job I worked in, whether she understood my current mental state or not, the constant was her reassurance. Even though it has been 7 years since she left this earth there is still a warm reassuring presence that keeps me going to this day. My heart fills with pride when I recall her travelling to the UK in the ’80s to start a new life raising three great young men, whilst she also chose to study alongside us. Never allowing an unfortunate situation to get her down and stop her moving forward a quality I often find in myself now in some of the most difficult times. I could write for years about who she has inspired me to be and I want to salute her for everything she has achieved and continues to through me.”
Today as well as his position in the Bursary, Richard works at Allianz Global Investors as a Portfolio Analyst within the Investment Grade Global Fixed Income Team and is also involved in the #Talkaboutblack initiative which aims to address the lack of diversity within the Asset Management industry and is an ambassador for the Allianz Global Race and Cultural Diversity employee network.