#63. Quinntessential Questions with John Currie: Make The Main Thing The Main Thing: John Currie’s Path To Success
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In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with John Currie, COO with 37 years in banking and Chair of the Board at Pangdemonium Theatre. From washing cash covered in butcher's meat at age 17 in small-town Galashiels, Scotland to leading 500-person teams processing 150 million calls annually, John shares his remarkable journey of ground-up leadership.
He discusses authentic leadership built on experience, process optimization where one second equals 22 jobs saved, and why "the worst case is you end up back where you were" became his risk philosophy.
John opens up about the homophobic warning that sparked his LGBT advocacy ("Just to warn you, Barrie's gay"), creating safe spaces that multiply from one person to 600 people filling a theatre, sponsoring Pink Dot Singapore, and becoming Chair of Pangdemonium Theatre while maintaining his COO role.
Whether you're building your career from the ground up, leading diverse teams, or balancing multiple passions, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on authentic leadership, corporate courage, and the power of creating safe spaces.
Guest Bio
John Currie John Currie is a banking executive and LGBT advocate known for his leadership in financial operations and his pioneering work in creating inclusive workplace cultures across Asia.
Developing a reputation as one of the most principled and authentic leaders in the banking sector, John has built a 37-year career rooted in ground-up operational excellence and corporate courage.
Minutes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:11) Growing up in Galashiels, Scotland - no banking genes
(00:35) 172 seconds: How one second saved 22 staff
(01:12) "Just to warn you, Barrie's gay" - the moment that changed everything
(10:55) Sales philosophy: People buy people first
(16:24) Creating safe spaces - the Heathrow Express breakthrough
(21:11) Sponsoring Pink Dot Singapore
(21:49) Tango production: 600 people from the LGBT community
(22:38) Becoming Chair of Pangdemonium Theatre
(27:48) "Make the main thing the main thing"
(29:39) Moving to Singapore: "Worst case is you end up back where you were"
(36:25) Imposter syndrome and personal growth
(44:33) His children: Photographer and pediatric nurse
(01:04:54) "I should have been a roadie"
(01:10:41) How he and his wife recharge
(01:12:39) Commitment to time - cigars and presenceBehind-The-Scenes
