As part of our mission to invest intelligently in our payments portfolio, we are thrilled to share that we have welcomed Ed Adshead-Grant to the Vesta team as Portfolio Leader. Ed will head up our payments division, creating value for both existing operations and future acquisitions.
To find out a bit more about Ed and his journey prior to joining the Vesta family, we sat down together for a Q&A.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background
The official Ancestry.com DNA test tells me I’m a 24% Scottish, 58% English, 17% German and 1% Basque man – based 30 minutes outside of London in the village of Stock near Chelmsford, Essex UK. It’s a postcard-like English village in the countryside with 4 pubs, a windmill and a cricket pitch that first recorded a game in 1769 – a few years before the USA got going. I’m here with my wife and two University age daughters. We haven’t moved for 20 years as we have 3 London airports nearby which have been ideal for both business and holiday travel over the years.
I have 30 years’ experience in the payment industry, working globally across SWIFT, instant payments, ACH networks, payment card schemes, open banking, cyber security and cross border payments. During that time, I’ve successfully scaled businesses across Executive roles in business development, strategy and product functions, working at firms such as PwC, First Data Corporation, Hewlett Packard, Hightech Payment Systems and Bottomline Technologies.
What made you choose Vesta as the next step in your career?
I heard about the ‘buy and hold forever’ model from a headhunter and became curious. Even though I’d lived through a couple of private equity events over my career, and more recently been raising funds for one client and planning an IPO with another, I’d simply never heard or read about the CSI story – and I liked it! It matched many of my personal values.
What are your top three books/podcasts?
- Are you listening or just waiting to speak? By Jane Adshead-Grant (always #1 as it’s my wife’s 1st..)
- The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins
- Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I am an active Liveryman for the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers 1664, which is one of the ancient UK guilds in the City of London. This promotes the work of the Lord Mayor of London around the world as an Ambassador of the ‘Square Mile’ of London, its charity work and the support of my own Livery across the glass industry. Our royal charter was signed by King Charles II in 1664 when London was a busy trade and crafts centre for many early guilds. At weekends I also like to get out to the local boxing club and support the wider family who are usually within an hour or so drive.
Who inspires you?
My late Father, who was a Captain in the Merchant Navy from an early age. I had the privilege to see him operating at sea for a year, between school and university, working closely with an amazing Filipino and Indian crew. I learned the value of hard work in a close-knit team, as a Deck Cadet earning an honest $5 per day.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Play the piano – I’ve let music pass me by in this lifetime although my Dad-dancing is high quality.
What is your favourite quote?
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
