Embrace the chance to stand out Mr David Torrible joined the Newington College Council this year. He is father to four boys at Newington—Artie (Year 9), Charlie (Year 9), Matthew (Year 7) and Toby (Year 6). David is a retired partner of Goldman Sachs after spending 19 years in finance in Hong Kong, Indonesiaand New York. He is an advisor and board member for a number of hedge funds, charities and private companies, and chairman of the Room to Read Australia Advisory Board. We asked him about the opportunities in his life so far. What has been the greatest opportunity presented to you in your career? As a fresh Canadian history major who moved to Hong Kong looking for opportunity, it would have been my first “real” job. I got the job by following an acquaintance to work as the bank was still looking to hire fresh graduates. That was before email or cell phones, so I figured it would be easier to just showup on his first day and see if they had a job for me too. Luckily they did, or it would have been embarrassing! I would not have got that job if I had not been prepared to take risks and put myself out there. If you could tell boys one thing about opportunity, what would it be? One of the College’s major strengths is its diversity. Different skills, backgrounds, hobbies and interests help you stand out. They also allow you to be confident in who you are. I think that willingness and desire to be different, and therefore authentic, creates opportunity and allows you to standout from the crowd. What has Room to Read taught you Mr David Torrible about opportunity? For Room To Read, opportunity is about met with recognition that they are spending Giving opportunity is a real privilege. the power of literacy to break the cycle their time to make you better. I have been There is nothing better than seeing of poverty. Room To Read creates very lucky in all phases of my life to have someone achieve as a result of your scholarships to keep young people, and had good people invest in mysuccess. I direct involvement. Creating more specifically girls, in school longer than have always felt driven to live up to their meaningful interactions and families traditionally would. Room To expectations. You ned to recognise theie r relationships will result in more Read believes that world change starts investment and attention is exceptional, impact. From my experience, it is the with educated children—and I agree! and therefore a good opportunity. biggest motivation for the excellent Just the ability to stay in school is a What are you most looking forward to teachers and leaders at Newington. huge opportunity for the 12 million kids as part of the Newington College Is opportunity enough to create that Room To Read has supported. Council? success—or do we need something How can you tell if something is a good I think Newington College is very well more? opportunity? run. I am looking forward to a deeper Opportunity exists for every student at It is always a good opportunity when understanding of the College in the first Newington. People here are very lucky, someone is prepared to invest in your order, and then how my experience and but in order to convert that success for no benefit other than your skills can help. opportunity you need to take risks and own. If a teacher, coach, mentor or friend It’s one thing to take opportunities ... apply yourself. Without that, even the takes time to help you succeed, that is but how can we encourage our boys, best opportunity will feel meaningless exceptional. That investment needs to be alumni, staff etc to give them? and empty. 6| NEWS AUTUMN 2018| OPPORTUNITY