Martin Watson

“The teachers at Yarra inspired me to pursue my strengths.”

As well as running a successful financial planning business in the Perth area, Martin Watson has helped raise money for a number of charities, particularly those supporting cancer research.

Those efforts have seen him drive close to a million kilometres backwards and forwards across Australia in a series of fundraising car rallies. He completed his most recent with his daughter by his side.

“Yarra taught me the importance of compassion, giving back and digging deeper. I lost my Mum to cancer and after seeing her go through that, I wondered what I could do and so I’ve supported cancer research. Much of what I learned about the importance of helping community and volunteering stems from Yarra,” says Martin.

“The change of school was hard for me and school camps were a critical part of everyone being able to get involved, meet new kids, and see each other in a setting outside the classroom.”

Martin had a particular passion and talent for Maths and in his senior years he studied Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry and Graphic Design. After graduating, he wanted to study industrial design but didn’t quite get the required score. Martin had to compile a portfolio of design work to strengthen his case and returned to Yarra where his Graphic Design teacher helped him pull together an impressive collection of work that secured him a place on the course.

But after a year, Martin instead switched to banking and spent 15 years with NAB in increasingly senior managerial roles.

He also decided to move to WA and in search of a new career direction, he studied financial planning and discovered a new passion as a financial advisor.

“It’s been a very rewarding career, particularly when working with people who are dying and who show incredible strength and clarity about what they want to do with the time they have left.

“Creating genuine connections with the people I advise has been hugely rewarding. I want to see them succeed and to have peace of mind.”

Martin recalls the Yarra motto and interprets it as seeing beauty in the simplest of moments every day.

“It might be noticing the way your child laughs or looking at the colours of a sunset – we all battle dark days but there is a lot to be thankful for.”