PROFILE: David Marston

After beginning my career as a CPA with Arthur Andersen in 1979, I co-founded and eventually sold a wine brokerage business in Southern California (still operating today). In 1989, I joined Coopers & Lybrand in the forensic accounting practice, making partner in 1997. Following the merger with Price Waterhouse in 1998, I held a number of roles at PwC, and my global experience across five offices has included:

  • Sponsored Six Partner Candidates into the PwC partnership, including three women, and coached and mentored countless others.
  • Global lead partner for Apple Inc, from 2010-2017, responsible for overseeing all PwC services and projects (advisory, tax, assurance) provided to Apple.
  • Partner co-lead of the “Holocaust Investigation” in Switzerland from 1997-1999, working for the Volcker Commission (ICEP), with a mandate to investigate and identify dormant Jewish bank accounts from the 1930’s/1940’s.
  • Partner in charge of PwC’s Silicon Valley Advisory (Consulting) practice in San Jose (2011-2017) overseeing significant growth within Advisory, including several acquisitions

Since facing mandatory retirement at PWC, I now focus my efforts on coaching leaders in Silicon Valley. My clients range from startups to Fortune 500, with an emphasis on leaders who have a strong desire for personal growth. Coaching and mentoring is my passion, and I have literally helped hundreds of individuals strive to become the best they can be.

In 2014, I successfully completed the executive coaching program at the Hudson Institute of Coaching in Santa Barbara. Subsequently, I fulfilled the requirements with the International Coach Federation (ICF), and received the ACC certification.

Lastly, with a strong desire for education reform, I serve on the National Board at BUILD (www.build.org), a 20-year-old national non-profit entity that serves 2,000 disadvantaged and disengaged high schoolers. We operate in five cities across the US, and are changing the lives of the youth we serve. Our secret sauce is teaching entrepreneurship skills, resulting in the tangible success of high school graduation and college entrance.

Personally, I am married and have one son, who is currently attending college. We live in the hills of Redwood City, and I spend as much time outdoors as possible. Hobbies include family time with the dogs, reading, hiking, enjoying fine wines, competitive tennis, watching live sports, and global travel.