James Davies: From Aspiring Bin Man to First Direct

In this episode of Genuine Humans, Tamara and Wendy talk to the charismatic James Davies, head of marketing at First Direct, about his path to success.

From wanting to be a bin man at three years old to developing a passion for writing letters through his youth, James’ career saw him rise through HSBC to take on one of the most coveted roles in financial marketing, at First Direct. His key qualities – empathy and focusing on purposeful action – are evident and have been honed over the last few years, a result of both the challenges of the pandemic and what he says is the bravest thing he’s ever done, becoming a father. 

James also talks about the leaders who’ve inspired and mentored him in his career, in particular Jenny Clarke from his time at Coutts and Tricia Weiner from his time at HSBC.