Trevor Webster – Get to know our VAB member
It is our pleasure to introduce you to our member Trevor Webster who joins VAB from Japan. He is an expert in wealth management, currently serving as managing partner at Taylor Brunswick Group in Tokyo. Trevor has been active in the finance and wealth management industries for over two decades now, after having previously worked in the pharmaceuticals sector. Prior to pursuing work in the pharma industry, he served for 12 years in the UK’s Royal Air Force. Earlier this year, in March, he joined the Institute of Directors (IoD) in London. If you are interested in the wealth management space and would like to learn more about Trevor, his professional career and his board aspirations, feel free to contact him.
What inspired you to become a member of the Virtual Advisory Board community?
I was introduced to VAB by a friend. In this personal introduction, he explained that VAB was a vibrant community of business people and so I thought I would check it out.
In what area do you feel board advisors can add the most value for Boards of Directors (BoDs) and executive teams?
I believe the biggest benefit advisors offer is objectivity. Standing outside the day-to-day of organisational operations and the ability to see the bigger picture for a company from a strategic perspective is critical to long-term success. Overall, my experience in the past serving on two boards has shown me how important working with such governance and advisory bodies can be in determining whether or not a business or organisation succeeds.
What would be your dream company/organisation to work with as a board advisor/NED?
I have served on two boards in the past and am not actively seeking a new board position at the moment. However, if new opportunities arise in the years ahead, I’d be keen to work and learn more with BAe Systems or Novo Nordisk for example; or possibly UBS or Morgan Stanley in the wealth management space.
What book or podcast would you recommend to VAB members that might improve their skills in corporate governance, board advisory or boosting board-to-executive team communications?
The books I would encourage everybody to read are Atomic Habits by James Clear and Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. I would also recommend all works from Ryan Holiday, an American author. He’s written some excellent books whose foundation is on Stoicism. I have read them all and continue to re-read them. For me, they are valuable companions in this changing and volatile world.
