Gary Withers has just been appointed to his first independent NED role – on the Gulf International Bank (UK) board- after an impressive corporate career starting at McKinsey before helping Mercury Asset Management become the top performing asset manager in Europe for five years and helping steer Norwich Union Life through the insurance crisis.
He then joined Credit Suisse Asset Management – initially to grow the European business but that strategy changed as the financial crisis blew up, and the business was sold, but he moved to First State Investments and then successfully grew their European arm. Withers’ most recent corporate role as CEO at infrastructure manager Whitehelm Capital meant a lot of long flights – and that was one reason why Withers is now moving into the NED space for a portfolio career.
Here he discusses that shift, gives advice to others considering the same move and says his international career has highlighted London’s (relative) boardroom diversity.