Carbon's Women in Finance - Donna Whale

We are shining a light on our team, and especially, the women of Carbon. We kicked off this series of posts with a Q&A with Polly Reaves, our Trainee Financial Planner, followed by our Operations Director, Shireen Fernie. This is our quick-fire Q&A with Donna Whale, Carbon's Finance Executive.

How long have you worked at Carbon?

Nearly 4 years.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

Meeting up with friends on Friday evening, go out for the day on either Sat or Sun (have Historic Scotland membership) and then spend the other day pottering around – not very exciting!

What did you dream about being when you grew up?

An archaeologist!

One place on your bucket list?

Galapagos Islands

Favourite place you have visited

New York

Favourite book, artist, musician, or band? 

And the Band Played On, Dame Elizabeth Blackadder and David Bowie.

Do you have any children/pets?  

One daughter called Catriona, and a cat called Rosie.  Should probably mention my husband Eric – don’t want him to feel left out!

Tell us something people wouldn’t know about you.

I use to spend holidays crewing a 37ft sailing yacht, have sailed along the south coast and over to France many times. Nothing better than being on ‘watch’ at 4am in the morning as the sun rises above the deserted English Channel as well as the relief of arriving into Cherbourg harbour after a very, very stormy crossing!

You have a table of 4 for dinner, who do you invite and why?

Jonathan Blake – one of the first people diagnosed with HIV in 1982 – still alive today.  Did my degree dissertation entitled ‘AIDS: The Making of a Social Problem’ way back in 1987.  Would be interesting to chat it through with him and give it a reality check 34 years later.

Richard Feynman – just to see if I could hold a conversation with him.

My daughter Catriona – drag her away from her friends for a couple of hours 😊

Alice Cooper – I think he would be a good laugh.  Saw him in concert end of 2019 (Hollywood Vampires) and he had such a stage presence.