What drives you?
My family. Everything I do is for my two girls. While I am driven to be successful, I would like to make time to be part of their lives as they grow up. I don’t necessarily need to be wealthy, but I would like to be able to provide my girls the comfort and support to pursue their dreams when they get older.
How have you grown with the Bank?
I certainly feel like I have matured through the last 17 years, although my wife may beg to differ! My perspectives and my priorities have changed. Instead of working only for the promotion or the bonus cheque, I have come to value the experiences and the journey of working here. Moreover, I want to ensure that the work I do is meaningful and will result in positive change.
What are your favourite moments in the Bank?
Early in my career with the Bank, when I was geographically mobile, I was given the opportunity to explore the world. I had worked in London, Qatar, and had the opportunity to work on projects in China and Nigeria. However, the best moment, and perhaps the most life changing, is that I met my wife at Standard Chartered. When I had to work in Qatar in 2008, the Bank was also able to provide an opportunity for my wife to join the franchise there, which gave me peace of mind and helped ease the transition.
How do you balance the different roles in your life?
I am terrible at multi-tasking, so I try focus on one thing at a time. It can be challenging when being pulled in different directions because of the demands across different projects, but it’s a skill I’ve learnt over time – it comes with practice. It’s important to know what your priorities are, and for me it’s my family. When I am with my girls, I do my best to be 100% present.
Your advice to people looking to join the banking industry?
The industry has changed significantly from when I first joined. What we did 10 years ago no longer works today. And what we do now may not be relevant in five years. My advice is for us to remain adaptable. The world will always need bankers but not necessarily in the same way they are required today. But what we are definitely in control of is our mindset. Stay open to learning new things!
Describe with three words what it’s been like working in the Bank.
Growth. Resilience. Fulfilment.
Click to read about our other colleagues: Nicole, Joan, Raina, Sentil and Vernon
