And this time it's Steven Talbot, Partner, GQR Global Markets under the spotlight.
Q - How long have you been in the industry and what is your current job title ?
A - My career began in alternative energy project finance before joining the human capital industry almost a decade ago. I became a Partner at GQR in 2009.
Q - Do you have a mentor and, if so who ?
A - I’ve been lucky enough to have several mentors throughout my lifetime. Hugo Sugden is the person I look to in recruitment. He has fostered a culture of positive collaboration, meritocracy and client commitment, and has steered GQR’s EMEA business to success throughout some of the most challenging trading conditions in recent memory. I also benefit from constant interaction with intelligent and creative colleagues and clients, no one person has a monopoly on good ideas and I’m always open to good advice.
Q - Are you by nature a pessimist or an optimist ?
A - I’m an optimist. I am an advocate of the positive version of the self-fulfilling prophecy. I believe that will and motivation can overcome challenge.
Q - Which business leader to you admire the most and why ?
A - I met Sir Richard Branson in the late nineties and became an instant fan. He has an insatiable appetite for competition and innovation combined with a healthy sense of fun and adventure.
Q - What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your career to date ?
People are exceptional. Exceptionally smart, exceptionally illogical, and everything between. Always be prepared for the full spectrum.
Q - What's your favourite business quotation or life motto ?
A - My favourite comes from Einstein: 'As the circle of light increases, so does the circumference of darkness around it'. For me it serves as a warning against hubris and complacency, and equally as a reminder of the ever-growing emergence of opportunity.
Q - What's the best business book you've ever read?
A - Bo Burlingham’s Small Giants resonates with me. I think that the theme of the pursuit of excellence versus growth for its own sake is particularly pertinent to this sector.
The Alchemists: Three Central Bankers and a World on Fire
Hubris: How HBOS Wrecked the Best Bank in Britain
