1982, I interviewed jobs in London prior to transferring from Citibank New York. At Citi’s European Training Centre, I met John McFarlane. His enthusiasm while teaching was infectious and his rapport with participants, inspiring.
I was delighted when he offered me the chance to develop my teaching and workshop facilitation skills.
John and I stayed in touch through his rise, eventually heading Citibank Ireland and the United Kingdom. He left Citi to become Group Executive Director of Standard Chartered Bank, followed by Chief Executive of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.
After that John joined Royal Bank of Scotland as a non-executive director; became Chairman of Aviva; and then was appointed Chairman of Barclays Bank. In January 2020, after John became Chairman of Westpac Banking Corporation, we were reconnected by an old colleague.
John, thanks for your endorsement of “Exploding Turkeys and Spare Trousers, Adventures in global business.”
“The power of storytelling is seriously underestimated and particularly when relating real personal experiences. Ken adeptly draws deep insights from these personal encounters which make them all the more compelling.”
-John McFarlane, OBE Chairman, Westpac Banking Corporation