The managing director of FCM Limited discusses top TV picks, humility, and why he doesn’t measure success.
John Wood is Managing Director of FCM Limited, a global provider of private wealth and corporate services. A chartered accountant, John has more than 35 years’ experience in the finance sector, having worked in finance, projects, operations and compliance.
What’s your day-to-day work routine?
I am normally in the office around 8am and spend my first half-hour reviewing emails and opening source data alerts/news articles. Then the day starts. My next tasks range from client and team requests to management discussions. We work effectively as a team, and we’re always available for one another, despite time being in short supply – we find this keeps the team bonded. I try and leave the office by 6pm, though that’s not always when my working day ends – with technology there is no such thing as a finish time.
What’s the most interesting thing about your work?
Variety – no two days are the same, no two meetings alike and no two clients have the same requirements. What is there not to like about that?
What are you watching/reading/listening to?
When not in global lockdown, I tend to focus on the BBC Sport app along with Sky Sports. After bedtime for our young daughter, my wife and I tend to sit down, relax and watch a mini-series. Currently Condor2 and Blacklist hit the mark
When are you happiest?
When I can see that my family are happy and safe.
What keeps you awake at night?
Very little but if I have a difficult problem to solve then I generally give it the 4am slot by default.
What traits do you most like in yourself?
- The ability to stay calm in difficult situations
- Drive and stamina to get the job done – I’m always the last man standing
- Humility – you need plenty of that in today’s world; it moves too quick to bask in anything.
- Trustworthiness – I will never break a confidence
- Loyalty – it needs to go without saying
What traits do you dislike in other people?
- Insincerity – there is no need to be dishonest or devious in life
- Bullying – probably one of the worst traits going; it shows the sign of a shallow person
- Lack of respect – all people need to be shown respect, even if they don’t deserve it. Always be the bigger person
What do you do to relax?
If I can I combine my family life with some sport – squash, golf and running – that is my ideal relaxation. Squash gets rid of any aggression, running gives thinking time and golf for that fresh air and comradery.
How do you measure success?
I believe that you don’t measure success, it is just a process whereby you aim to succeed at everything you do. Sometimes you fail and may continue to fail but as long as you always try to learn and progress from failure then that alone is success. We are succeeding at FCM but we still have a long way to go.
