Tell us about your time at SKC

Five fun years, starting in the Stables (maybe one the last year’s to do so), then moving up to the Magee Block until graduating to the relative luxury, and your own space in the 6th and 7th form dorms. Dorm life provided a wonderful context to learn essential life skills (like corridor cricket and most of the lines from Rocky 1 & 2), so too did school itself, although that was perhaps, a secondary focus behind team-sport. Rugby in winter and Cricket in summer. I remember idolising the senior boys in the 1st XV and wondering if I might ever get ‘that big’, which for the smallest boy in the dorm (for several years) seemed a pipe dream. I seem to remember coveting the freedom of Friday evenings spent aimlessly at ‘the Gates’, and endless coffee and marmite on toast at the girl’s dorms on Saturday. Fond memories of the 1st XV rugby tour to Queensland, fattening calves for sale, and bringing four angora goats home one easter holiday. Much to my father’s shock, confusion. And dismay.

What have you been doing since leaving SKC?

After school I went to Otago University to study PE. I played rugby for the Dunedin Club where a lot of former SKC boys were playing (names like Flannery, Waldron, O’Connell, O’Neil, Kay were common). After a couple of enjoyable seasons, including a Dunedin Club Championship and higher honours (NZU21), an injury forced a career reassessment from PE/Sports, and I pivoted to a Law Degree in pursuit of becoming a barrister. I moved to Victoria in Wellington to complete my degree, playing for the Harlequins Club and then NZU. A job offer to become a barrister was turned down to play rugby in Milan Italy, from where I went to Cambridge University in the UK, to read for an MA in Social and Political Science. After two amazing years, including a Varsity Match vs Oxford at Twickenham (which we would have won had we a better kicker – ahem) I took an internship at Merrill Lynch, an Investment Bank, during what was then, the heady days of the Dot-Com mania. I was then offered a full-time position once completing my degree. My first ‘day in the office’ was Sept 11th, 2001 – the same day as the terrorist attacks in New York. My office was attached to the World Trade Tower by a footbridge. After Merrill’ I left to set up my own Research Brokerage called Aviate Global which was sold to Northern Trust, a large US bank. I currently work at this bank advising large pension and sovereign wealth funds on asset allocation. I’m married with four children and live near Henley on Thames in the UK.

How did SKC shape you for life outside of school?

SKC provided exposure to varied and unique experiences (see above: angora goat breeding). Outside of sport, there was choir where we competed at regional schools’ events and I particularly enjoyed drama, being encouraged by the English teacher at the time, Mr Barnes, to give it ago. These sorts of experiences, being challenged to step outside of your comfort zone and to try new things was formulative, and I credit those experiences for giving me confidence to try new things in life, after school.

Article added: Thursday 21 December 2023