SIMON CONNOR is one of the youngest-ever associate directors of wealth management firm Rensburg Sheppards.

He played an instrumental role in setting up the Liverpool office’s options desk, and is one of only a handful of options specialists outside of London. This was his day.

7am: Cycling to work is the best way to start the day, as far as I’m concerned. I live in Aigburth and regularly cycle into the office as it’s a really invigorating way to start the day. After circumnavigating some road-rage fuelled drivers, I arrive at the office and head off for a quick, refreshing shower.

7.50am: The market opens at 8am so, with a coffee in hand, my first priority is to run our risk management process. This involves checking the previous day’s trades and managing margin requirements and, once complete, I scan the market for any information that could impact on client portfolios. This process relies on me checking the live-feed trading screens on my desk and a very thorough reading of the Financial Times.

8.45am: I’m up to speed on what’s happening in trading terms and grab another cup of coffee before attending the daily meeting. This meeting is attended by all investment managers and directors, and provides an opportunity to discuss daily market events, current strategies and possible investment purchases and sales. It’s a lively meeting today as we discuss the ongoing global credit crunch and I put a few questions to the team.

10am: After an hour back at my desk responding to client queries and agreeing transactions, I turn my attentions to the “introduction to options” presentation I’m preparing for visiting students. People don’t generally know what an options desk does, perhaps it’s the financial jargon or because of associations with rogue trader Nick Leeson, and I’m very passionate about putting them right. The reality of my role is the opposite – it’s less about risk and more about using hedging and trading strategies to maximise client wealth and mitigate market volatility.

11.15am: I sit down with one of our investment directors, Jon Seal, to discuss a property developer client. This client is looking to use hedging strategies to insure against the stock positions we’re taking. Successful entrepreneurs like this client often use options as a key part of their investment strategy, and we have a thorough discussion about how best he can maximise his returns and minimise risk.

12.45pm: It’s time for lunch and I’m off to Rigby’s to meet some of my friends. We all work in professional firms in the city, and it’s always good to catch up on a professional and social level. I have a steak sandwich with fries and a chilled sparkling water before heading back to the office.

2.10pm: For the most part, the options team provides general advice and insights into market movements and the way stock and market futures are moving. This information is particularly important as our business is focused on long-term hedging rather than short-term speculating. The US market opens at 2.30pm UK time, and so I spend some time checking US future prices and the anticipated direction of American stocks.

3.10pm: I take a call from one of my clients who is seeking advice on a particular investment stock – he’s much more involved in the transactional aspect of his portfolio than most options desk clients and calls several times a week. We chat for 40 minutes before he decides to postpone his transaction. The rest of the afternoon is a mixture of talking to clients and other traders and responding to queries as they come in.

4.30pm: The market closes at 4.30pm, so I will spend the next hour finishing paperwork before leaving the office to attend a networking event. I really enjoy chatting to new people about their work and finding out what’s happening in the city, and tonight I’m off to Restaurant Bar & Grill to attend a young professionals’ event.

6pm: The event is in full swing and I’ve already seen one of my clients. We discuss the day’s trading and I get introduced to two leading lawyers. Glass of wine in hand and surrounded by friendly faces, this seems a great way to end the day.