Helping Marketplace Leaders Achieve True Significance
For the newly appointed National Director of LeaderImpact at Power to Change, the vision of seeing leaders everywhere experiencing life to the full[1], both in Canada and around the world, is nothing short of “extremely exciting.”
Starting March 1, 2014, Garth Jestley joins the organization after a lengthy career in investment management with the Middlefield Group based in Toronto with offices in London, U.K. and Calgary. At Middlefield, he served as CEO and President for several years, overseeing the firm’s venture capital, investment banking and investment management businesses. For someone who spent his entire career – over 40 years – in the financial services sector, Jestley is certainly no stranger to success and the challenges of the business world, with a CV that includes Vice President and senior roles at Bank of Montreal, Citibank of New York, and Prudential Insurance Company of America.
But what motivates Jestley to take on the role of directing a ministry at a Christian non-profit organization is something that means more than what he’s managed to achieve in his professional life. “I have a desire to reach large numbers of senior marketplace leaders for Christ and to help them become effective disciples,” he says.
After selling his interest in Middlefield in late 2012 and in conjunction with his reduced involvement in the firm, Jestley says he took time off with his wife, Mary, to hear from the Lord. “After retiring, I didn’t expect to plunge back into full-time management responsibilities again,” he reflects. While considering what to do following his investment management career, he sensed God impressing upon him to use his background in business to reach leaders.
About a year after leaving the investment world, Jestley was contacted by a recruiter who informed him of a position at LeaderImpact. “At first, I wasn’t all that interested in even considering taking on any sort of full time position but when I finally opened the email and read the job description, I knew right away that the profile was a perfect fit,” he says. Sensing that this was God’s calling, he met with the recruiter and the rest, as they say, is history.
With decades of experience in leadership, Jestley knows what it takes to expand LeaderImpact’s reach through building relationships based on understanding the struggles that leaders face. After all, he’s been there too. In his quest to achieve academic and professional success, he had to learn the hard way that true personal fulfillment will never come through wealth, status, or power – a lesson that faith in God taught him.
From his many years of working with leaders and with non-Christians, Jestley can hardly wait to fulfill his calling to do the kind of work that aligns with his real passion to serve God and others. In this regard, he will be joined by and work closely with Mary. Their passion naturally flows from their love for Jesus, as seen through their involvement in church leadership and missions where they have ministered and spoken in Canada and internationally. “Mary and I have prayerfully defined our life’s purpose as this: to know Christ better and to better make Him known,” he says. “Thus LeaderImpact perfectly aligns with our purpose!”
[1] See John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
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Today, April 28th, as I was visiting Power to Change website which I haven’t viewed for quite a few months, I happened to clicked on the Blogpost and I was delighted to see Garth Jestley’s photo and read of his leadership role with LeaderImpact.
Congratulations Garth on your appointment as National Director of LeaderImpact at Power to Change. Sterling and I are excited for you and Mary and how God has placed you strategically to impact Marketplace leaders globally for Christ, for His glory.
God bless you and Mary on your new assignment.
Sterling & Maria Lee, Miami, FL