Vow signs former NAB commercial banker

Travis Fulton, director of Melbourne-based Guildfords Capital (Australia), has commenced business in advisory and broking services primarily focused across commercial and business banking, after a 20-year career with NAB and, more recently, heading up Macquarie Bank’s professional bank business in Victoria.

Speaking to The Adviser, Mr Fulton said his decision to move into the third-party channel was driven by identifying areas where he could add value to commercial borrowers following more than two decades in key leadership and relationship roles across the commercial banking space.

“I had a 20-year career with NAB that ranged from being a teller in the early days to managing institutions such as Wesfarmers,” he said.

“So I have been fortunate to have had exposure spanning the breadth of the commercial sector. I have worked in institutional banking, corporate banking, business banking and was the business lead when NAB set up its commercial broking business in 2012.

“NAB invested a lot in me over the years which I’m grateful for and I certainly put my hand up to get as much exposure as possible." 

Now a director with boutique financial services group Guildfords, Mr Fulton has teamed up with Vow Financial as the aggregator looks to grow its commercial footprint.

“There is a real unfulfilled demand for commercial banking advice within the broker community. From what I have consistently heard over the years there are not too many of us around," he said.

Through a mutual friend, Mr Fulton met Vow’s newly appointed head of commercial and leasing, Glenn Mitchell, who spent 12 years on the MFAA council and three as the association’s Victorian president.

"We had lunch and I got to understand that Vow Financial have commercial growth plans within the sector that reflects my experiences and that our visions for growth are aligned,” Mr Fulton told The Adviser.

“We both want to grow our respective businesses and I think we can really help each other,” he said.

After moving to the Victorian capital in 2006, Mr Fulton said he has built up a strong network of business clients and industry friendships.

With Guildfords, he believes the boutique company’s diversified solutions across areas such as corporate advisory and governance, advisory, licensing, valuation and funds management, offer a productive environment to develop a commercial banking and credit services advice business.

“When a client walks in the door for corporate advice or needs an Australian Financial Services Licence for example, either they or someone they know will need banking and credit services advice,” he said.

“We are predominantly focused on commercial, which forms the foundation of our relationship with Vow.

“It’s what I enjoy, what I thrive on. It gives me energy.”

Written by James Mitchell

Last Updated: 09 March 2022

Published: 09 March 2015