S3 Ep7 Blair Wark - CFO & COO for RBC Asia Pacific, and Chief Country Officer for Australia

Maud Lindley speaks with Blair Wark, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for RBC Asia Pacific, and Chief Country Officer for Australia, about the career moves, mentors, and leadership lessons that have shaped over two decades in global banking. Blair reflects on the pivotal, often unplanned moments that shaped his path, from an unexpected start at Price Waterhouse to a sudden return home from New York, and the mentors, including his wife, who helped him navigate them. Blair also shares how leading a genuinely cognitively diverse team, spanning Sydney, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan, has shaped his approach to leadership. He explains why real value comes not just from cultural diversity, but from bringing together people with different life experiences and ways of thinking, and how trust is built by learning to draw out the best in every individual. The conversation explores what makes mentoring genuinely effective, from resisting the urge to give advice, to building confidence in others through thoughtful questions rather than answers. Blair also discusses how leaders can prepare their teams for the scale of change AI is bringing to the finance industry. A candid and practical conversation for mentors, mentees, and senior leaders navigating growth and change.