Coutts Woman

Jill Chimes - Unique Events

Jill Chimes leads a very glamorous life… if you look at it from an angle.  On one side, she’s attending theatre productions almost daily, regularly dining with actors and actresses and on first-name basis with opera singers such as Bryn Terfel.  She’s watched polo matches with Princes William and Harry captaining the teams, enjoyed exclusive shopping with Stella McCartney at Stella McCartney’s London store, and was front row at the Temperley London fashion show at Coutts last November.

On the other side, Jill Chimes has also organised all these events.  “Most clients and private bankers think of me in an evening dress,” laughs the head of sponsorship and events for Coutts.  “They don’t see me changing in the bathroom five minutes before an event starts because I’ve been running around organising it!”

“If I get an invitation two weeks in advance, I feel I’m on the Z-list.”

The reality of Jill’s job is that, before any of these events happen, between six months, a year or even two years of meticulous planning and hard work has gone into them.  “A year is no length when you are planning big sponsorships or events,” insists Jill.  “Anything we do must be interesting and unique, so the idea can take time to develop.  Then having it approved, getting the right companies on board, and pulling it together is a long road.”

Every year, together with theatre and arts sponsorships, Jill and her team of four organise several big events.  In 2005, one such event was a charity polo match with the Princes.  In 2006, an Alice Temperley fashion show was held exclusively for Coutts clients.  This year, Coutts sponsors the Royal Ballet.  Where does she get her inspiration for these events?  “Ideas seem to come to me naturally now because I’ve been working in this area for so long.  Often, it’s in my back garden pouring over the Sunday papers,” she laughs. 

Together with inspiration, there are certain requirements for an event or sponsorship to be considered by Coutts.  “The concepts have to be new.  Our clients can afford everything, so we tend to focus on the ‘original’ or ‘unique’, rather than the big budget stuff.  Like having Bryn Terfel giving a private performance in the Garden Court.  We had clients fly back early from holiday to attend because they had never been able to get that close to him. Or dining with the Almeida cast after a play there, or having a top fashion designer show in our banking hall.  It’s that ‘Uniquely Coutts’ offering we aspire to. ”

And then there’s the ‘making it work’ element.  Jill and her team do a lot themselves, dealing with florists, agents and artists rather than briefing a production company to do so.  “Aside from making the budget go much further, we also know how we want the space to look and so would rather sit down with our suppliers and talk through it with them.  As a result, we are jacks of all trades, which comes in handy!

“I’m also a maniac when it comes to attention-to-detail, and very strict on etiquette.  I believe, for example, that our invitations should reach clients several weeks before an event.  If I get an invitation two weeks in advance, I feel I’m on the Z-list.  And I certainly don’t want to make our clients feel like that.  Also, they are extremely busy people, so advance warning is essential.”

But despite all the planning and hard work, things don’t always go to plan.  “It’s always chaotic on the night, worrying about models falling and breaking a leg in our banking hall for example!  But some things have got easier. A few years ago when we were doing numerous events outside, we had port-a-loos delivered.  They were not like the nice ones you can rent today, but grotty and dirty.  So, I’d be carrying tons of expensive loo paper to each event and spending ages ensuring they were perfect each time. I’ve always been hands on like that and still get my hands dirty, but thankfully we don’t see so much of that anymore!”

Seeing everything come together on that night makes everything worth it for Jill.  “When you’ve come up with an idea, and it comes together, it’s such a buzz.  Even if it is two years later!  There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.  It’s my passion.”

But Jill wasn’t always passionate about this.  When she first joined the bank at 16, she was sure she would be working for a ‘maximum’ of five years before getting married and having children.  “I was going to get married at 21, I decided, and have twins at 23.  One of each sex of course!  I did get married at 21 but broke up at 23 and, unfortunately, the twins never happened,” she admits.

Now, 37 years on, and as glamorous as ever, Jill is a mum, after recently been named ‘Mother of the House’, an accolade given to the longest-serving female member of Coutts staff. 

Although this accolade dates back to the early 19^th century, there are no clear indications around what the role involves, with only brief mentions made to it in Coutts & Co’s historical archives.  But Jill doesn’t mind.  Since the initial shock of getting the accolade, she is now settling into her new role nicely.

“When I first found out, I hated the idea.  I used to think about Mother of the House as an old lady, and didn’t want people thinking about me the same way!  But in another way, it’s nice that long service is recognised.  And I had wanted children, it just never happened in my life.  So now I’ve got hundreds, even thousands, spread right across Coutts in the UK.”