SOFT-spoken and self-assured, Craig Mair tells the story of how he was able to climb the corporate ladder to a prestigious post, despite a firm philosophy that one cannot be defined just by the work he does, but must ensure a balanced life.

The 47-year-old has for a year held the position of vice-president of commercial banking at Scotiabank, the latest of a string of notable positions in three of the country’s major financial institutions.

Before his appointment to his current post in December of last year, Mair held the position of senior relationship manager with responsibility for government and then assistant general manager of corporate and commercial banking. However, even before that, he spent 10 years at Citibank working in several different roles, from an officer in capital markets to resident vice-president in relationship management.

In 1993, just back from university, he got a job with Dehring, Bunting & Golding where he worked as a capital market manager for three years.

Despite an illustrious career in banking and finance, Mair insists it can’t be all work.

“I don’t mind working hard but I don’t want my work defining who I am. What I represent is balance, I don’t want people to think that in order to be successful, what you should do is work, work, work,” he said in an interview with Career & Education.

The father of three sons — seven-year-old twins, and an 11-year-old — has been married for 15 years and has an active physical life, playing football, squash, swimming, and even participating in triathlons. For him, his family, social life, athletic activities matched with his job, create the balance he seeks.

Still, he shared his recipe to a successful career.

“I think that one of the things that has helped me get to this position is the ability to get things done and the ability to work with others to get things done. That, I think, is the hallmark of my success,” Mair said.

He said what he described as a ‘stick-to-itiveness’, has also helped to push him forward.

Mair said his primary responsibility as the VP of commercial banking is to drive sales and enhance the bank’s profitability in the commercial banking space, as well as to manage the risk profile of the customer base.

“In addition, I have to manage and motivate the team, and maintain a level of integrity that you are what you say you are,” he said.

He describes his team as part of a set of factors that helped him secure the promotion.

“I think anybody who chooses life in the corporate space hopes to ascend the corporate ladder; it is what you do. It is a hallmark of how well you have done in your job to be able to ascend to the management level, so that has been an ambition of mine since I started, with the hope that in ascending the corporate ladder, I will be able to influence others to so do,” he said.

Mair supervises 13 persons and said he hopes he has managed to make a difference for the bank since he took on the role of vice-president. So far, he said he has been working valiantly to achieve the mandate to grow the bank’s commercial portfolio and manage the risks involved.

Mair is not one to yield to the challenges either, and says his hope is to, within the next few years, be considered to head a corporate and commercial unit within the region.

“I can’t do it without having people who are motivated. The key factor is to keep my team motivated, informed, and ensure that they are properly trained and to be open and honest with them when they are doing well and when they are not; and manage their expectations accordingly,” he said.

The man who has crawled up the ranks of a thriving financial institution leaves knowing advice for persons who hope for a promotion in their own place of work.

“Don’t expect it to happen because you have been [working] there for a long time. I find that sometimes, an impediment for advancement is that people expect to be promoted because they have been in a position for a while. Recognise that to gain more respect in an institution or organisation, it means that you have to demonstrate the ability to manage well the responsibilities you now have,” he said.

“You have to be able to set fear aside and push the envelope of your own understanding, set aside the belief that what you are doing now is enough,” said Mair, who nevertheless advised that it will be frustrating if the employee intends to always be “chasing a title”.

Mair, who grew up in Kingston, attended Jamaica College before being transferred to Wolmer’s Boys, where he played water polo and was on the swim team.

After graduating, he went to the United States, where he completed a bachelors degree in business administration at the University of Miami in 1989. In 1993, he completed a master’s in business administration at Florida International University. He then returned to Jamaica.

Mair describes himself as a quietly confident, fairly social person who enjoys interacting with people and the outdoors.