Back to his rootsx
Since leaving the Firm in 2018, David Barwise has split his time between a broad range of passions – from charity work to cricket coaching.
When David Barwise left the Firm in 2018, he relocated from Singapore to Sydney, Australia – a return to his teenage home.
David was born in South Africa but finished his schooling and law degree in Australia before his White & Case career took him to London and Singapore.
He says: “I loved my time at the Firm. It gave me so many interesting opportunities and I worked with so many great clients and lawyers.
“The only reason I left was because I’d reached a point in my life where I wanted to spend more quality time with my family and to do more charity work.
“Of course, the Firm gave me plenty of chances to do pro bono work, but I wanted to dedicate even more time to it.”
“I loved my time at the Firm. It gave me so many interesting opportunities and I worked with so many great clients and lawyers.”
On returning to Australia, David embarked on postgraduate studies, earning a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance and a master’s degree in energy and resources law and working towards a master’s degree in construction law.
He also became a director of EdConnect Australia, a charity that trains, supports and places volunteers into schools to improve the lives of vulnerable children.
David explains: “We currently service around 300 schools, 15,000 students and 1,500 volunteers and our mission is to open new opportunities for children from difficult or disadvantaged backgrounds, often in very remote areas of Australia.
“It’s something I’m passionate about because I grew up in a very socially minded family and I know there are so many talented young people out there who aren’t able to pursue the careers they want to because of their circumstances or background. EdConnect aims to address that situation.
“I’m also chairman of the charity’s finance committee, which is a challenge. Finances are extremely tight for any charity and the current pandemic will only make things worse.”
Another portion of David’s time is devoted to his role as director, part owner and company secretary of Gyrostat Capital Management (GCM).
GCM’s Gyrostat Absolute Return Income Equity Fund (GARIEF) invests in listed shares and options with the aim of providing a reliable income stream and capital protection to retirees.
David says: “We take an innovative approach to investing that helps us to identify the lowest cost, safest protection. As a result, when COVID-19 caused the Australian stock exchange to fall 21 per cent, our investors made 18 per cent. This meant we were the top performing fund in Asia Pacific and received significant media exposure.”
GCM currently has more than 80 investors and has signed distribution agreements in Singapore, China and Australia. It is also listing on a number of investment platforms.
“I’m in charge of the operations side of the business” says David, “and it’s been fascinating learning the nuts and bolts of fund management.”
In all these roles, David has found his experience at White & Case invaluable. He joined the Firm in 2002 as an associate and was one of the first hires during the expansion of the London office.
David was made partner in 2003 and became regional section head of Banking and Capital Markets in EMEA before moving to the Singapore office in 2011.
He says: “I joined the Firm from Linklaters and was immediately struck by how entrepreneurial White & Case was, with partners encouraged to take control of their own careers and practices.
“I’ll always be extremely grateful for what White & Case did for me, the people it allowed me to meet and the opportunities it gave me.”
“It was a privilege to be part of the growth of the London office – watching it grow in size and profile until we were a genuine alternative to the Magic Circle.
“I was there during the good times, but I was also a regional section head during the global financial crisis, so it was good to see the Firm evolving and adapting during a period of difficulty.”
David is also a big advocate of White & Case’s international network. He says: “During my time with the Firm, I worked with colleagues in every office in the network, bar one.
“That shows how truly international White & Case is – something that opens so many opportunities if you’re willing to learn, work hard and put yourself forward.”
Since returning to Australia, David has also devoted himself to sport – he completed his Cricket Australia coaching badges and currently coaches the under-17s youth team at two cricket clubs in Sydney where his sons are promising players.
From a legal perspective, he also does a small amount of consultancy work, including M&A work for National Australia Bank.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, he’s been spending plenty of time doing DIY and puppy training.
He says: “We crumbled under pressure from the kids and are now the proud owners of a puppy called Biscuit.
“Outside of the lockdown, the kids also keep me busy as a glorified taxi driver. They are all very sporty and I’d say I spend about 15 hours a week driving them to training and matches.”
Looking back on his time at White & Case he says: “I still keep in touch with several people from the Firm and I’ll always be extremely grateful for what White & Case did for me, the people it allowed me to meet and the opportunities it gave me – from becoming partner to being a regional section head and working in Asia.”
