Big leap of faith from the peak of profession

The Life: A worryingly high blood pressure reading set fixed income trader, Matt Farr, on a course that would change his life and career.

Matt Farr says his quest for new things took him to the Everest Base Camp in 2008. Razan Alzayani / The National

Five years ago, Matt Farr was a fixed-income trader living the high-finance lifestyle in Dubai. He now owns Mountain Quests, an adventure travel company based in the emirate. Here, he talks about how he got started.

How do you get from being a trader to owning an adventure travel company?

In March 2008 I was planning to go to Thailand on a holiday to a five-star hotel in a nature reserve. I decided to go to the doctor's to check if my vaccinations were up to date. He tested my blood pressure. It was 160 over 110. He basically told me to change my lifestyle and I listened. I decided to go and try new things. It took me to Everest Base Camp.

What happened next?

I came back to Dubai and it started eating away at me. I called the guide I got to know because it was just me and him on the [Everest] trip. I said, 'Nima, so I have done the base camp but I really want to feel what it's like on a mountain now. Can I climb one?' He said, 'Yes sure'. A year later I turned up in Nepal again to climb a mountain near Everest. We stood on top of this mountain and you could see all of the world's famous mountains in front of you. It just blew me away.

After that trip your passion for your career was steadily replaced by a love of the outdoors. What was the tipping point?

In August 2010 I was given a new job offer in the UAE. I was already questioning my career. After about three or four weeks of deliberation I decided, 'No, I don't want to stay in this.' I quit my job and I turned down the other job.

What did you do next?

I decided to go to Nepal again and climb another mountain. While we were climbing, Nima asked me how work was going. I told him I had quit and he was shocked. He said, 'Well, actually Matt, I have been meaning to talk to you for ages' about how he wanted to set up his own company to be a guide and do adventure sports. He said, 'Would you like to do it together?' I said, 'Yes.'

Why base your company in Dubai?

By definition, all expatriates have a sense of adventure in us anyway. We have moved away from our home countries and come somewhere else. Either we have known it very well or not at all. But it has taken a leap of faith. And in a way it's the same thing people do when they come on a trip with us. I also think the framework of the UAE and how they allow business to grow is also very powerful.