Stephen Bird is remarkably candid about some of the challenges he faced when he arrived as chief executive of Abrdn almost 18 months ago.

The 54-year-old former banker had for more than two decades worked his way up to top jobs at Citigroup, overseeing its business in Asia Pacific before heading the global consumer banking division from New York. The latter role was handed to Jane Fraser when Bird quit, shortly before she was named CEO of the US bank.