Andrew, in his early forties, is the Chief Executive Officer of a high-powered financial group in Sydney’s CBD. In contrast to the money-making culture around him, he says the outpouring of his relationship with God means his relationships are more important than a drive for material wealth.
Andrew is a member of the St Matthias’ group of churches, and made a commitment to Christ four years ago at a Katoomba Christian Convention. Despite the temptation to spend a lot of time at the office, he tries to keep his work hours in check so he can spend time with family and serve at church.

It is a far cry from 12 months ago, when he resigned from a large financial consulting firm, partly because the long hours and demands on his time were coming at the expense of investing in relationships. “The demands on my time were immense, which I enjoyed at the time. There [were] great challenges…but the hours were extraordinary,” he says.
Now he works for a smaller company that believes making money should coexist with the valuing of relationships.

As a result, Andrew says the occasions where work comes at the expense of family and church are becoming ‘less and less’. “In certain parts of the finance sector, there’s a very strong ethos…to cut corners; cut standards of ethics; to earn the extra dollar; to make the profits. We’re keen not to adopt their approach.”