Balance is the ultimate measure of success for Adrian Reynolds
Published:Sunday | December 28, 2025 | 12:06 AM
For Adrian Reynolds, success isn’t just measured in numbers or balance sheets. It is found in balance itself. Whether he is cycling through the hills of St Andrew, meditating at dawn, or hiking with his family in the crisp air of Holywell, Reynolds lives by the principle that personal fulfilment and professional achievement are deeply connected.
“Spending time with my family, doing anything outdoors with them, brings me the most joy. I especially love trips with my family up to Holywell,” Reynolds shared.
To recharge, Reynolds turns to books on self-development, long runs, swims, and meditation. His guiding motto, inspired by both mentors and athletics, says much about his outlook: “Be the change that you want to see in the world,” and “No human is limited,” the latter borrowed from his running inspiration Eliud Kipchoge, the Kenyan long-distance runner. “It embodies the understanding that nothing is out of my reach. I just need to focus unwaveringly on attaining what I want,” Reynolds said.
The vice-president of treasury at Scotiabank, Reynolds’ journey in finance began as an investment analyst. From there, he moved to Capital and Credit Securities Limited, where he led a stockbrokerage team and later headed portfolio management, overseeing pension funds and personal portfolios. His path to Scotiabank came through Scotia Investments Jamaica Limited, where he managed treasury and trading before transitioning fully into treasury at the bank.
“I have always had a love and respect for investing and understanding how investment assets behave,” Reynolds explained. “Treasury was an extension of that with a broader focus on other aspects of the balance sheet, including liability and capital management.”
Mentorship was key in his development. He credits two former Scotiabank leaders, Lissant Mitchell and Hugh Miller, for influencing his path into treasury, and Gary-Vaughn White for sharpening his skills. His own traits of patience and curiosity, he shared, have been his biggest assets.
At The University of the West Indies, Reynolds made a bold pivot, switching from natural sciences in his final year, against the advice of all his tutors, to pursue economics. “I’ve done the same thing in my career,” he said. “Taking on roles or tasks that are not familiar but which will ultimately help me to grow. It’s important to make yourself uncomfortable until you become comfortable with being uncomfortable,” he said.
As one of Scotiabank’s senior leaders, Reynolds embraces the unpredictability of treasury. “Every day is a new challenge. The job is never really the same from day to day. Trying to solve a problem excites me because I feel there is always a solution. I just need to look hard enough to find it,” he shared.
His most challenging decision? Choosing short-term liquidity over long-term profit. “The biggest lesson learned is that liquidity is always more important than profitability.”
Failures, too, have shaped him. “If you’re not making mistakes and failing at something, then you’re not pushing yourself hard enough,” he notes. “Each one has had an additive effect, and they continue to push me to grow. Ultimately, every failure carries with it some valuable lessons. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.”
That humility carries into his leadership. What keeps him motivated in a high-pressure role, he said, is his team. “The support of my team and the sense of camaraderie … the effort my team puts into this task and their selflessness to [help achieve] success helps keep me motivated.”
Beyond professional milestones, Reynolds measures success differently. “Success is helping others achieve and be successful. It’s important to step up and pull others up or push others up as you move through this life, both personally and professionally,” he said.
For young professionals, his advice is both practical and philosophical: “When I left university, I thought my career would be unidirectional and that it would be linear. I wanted things to happen in a set amount of time, and I put pressure on myself to make things happen according to some timeline I created in my head. As I’ve matured, I realise that you have to be patient and understand that your career and your growth will have many ups and downs. You have to have a plan, but you most certainly have to enjoy the journey. Don’t get caught up with the destinations,” he shared.