Having obtained a BSc Econ Honours degree from the LSE, John Garbutt entered the City of London to work for Rowe & Pitman (stockbrokers). He was subsequently employed by ICI (Pension Fund); Touche Remnant (Investment Management); Schroders (Investment Management) and became a main board Director at Kleinwort Benson (Investment Management) in 1987. He then worked at HSBC (Asset Management) from 1991, where he was head of various departments including property and ecommerce, and retired as Director, Global Head of Corporate Governance in 2013. He was subsequently a non-Executive main board Director of the Stobart Group, Chairman of their Remuneration Committee and a member of their Audit and Nominations Committees from 2014 to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (FCSI) and a member of the Chartered Financial Analysts Institute/ CFA Society of the UK.
Away from his career, John was the elected Alderman for Walbrook Ward for 13 years from 2009 having sat on numerous City of London Corporation Committees. He is currently Master and Founding Sponsoring Alderman of the Guild of Investment Managers (the City’s newest aspirant Livery Company). He is also Immediate Past Master and now Court assistant of the Joiners and Ceilers Livery and is a Liveryman of the International Bankers. In addition, he is a Past Upper Bailiff (Master equivalent) and currently Court Assistant of the Weavers Livery Company, the City’s oldest. John was President of Walbrook Ward Club as well as currently being Lay Chairman of the Parochial Church Council, a Church Warden and Parish Clerk at St Stephen Walbrook Church. He is involved in various UK and international charitable organisations, including being a Life Vice President of both the British Red Cross and International Students House, having previously been Chairman of International Students Trust, and is a past Trustee of Asthma UK. He was a Justice of the Peace (JP). In addition, he is an Honorary Visiting Professor of London Metropolitan University and of the University of West London. John is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). Furthermore, he is a Past Master of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London, a Past Chairman and now Vice President of the Royal Society of St. George (City branch) as well as a Past President and currently a Council member of the City Livery Club. John is a member of the Incorporation of Wrights of Glasgow and the Incorporation of Candlemakers of Edinburgh.
He is honoured to have received the Freedom of the City of Glasgow, to become a Knight of the Order of Francis the First (KFO) and was appointed by Her Majesty the Queen as High Sheriff of Greater London for 2020/21.