In Conversation with Marc Thatcher - Émigré CFO

An Early Introduction to Programming

Marc traces a journey shaped by movement, from village classrooms in Wales to global banking floors, endurance races in the Sahara, and a renewed passion for computer science.

Marc's interest in computers began at the age of eight in a small village school near Cardiff, where a teacher introduced the class to a Sinclair ZX81. Despite its limited capabilities, Marc was captivated and quickly became obsessed with programming. His passion led him to study computer science at university. Just before starting his course, he read Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis, which sparked a parallel fascination with finance and went on to shape the direction of his career.

The Pursuit of Passion

After ten years in banking, Marc took a step back to deepen his financial expertise through an MBA at Wharton, Pennsylvania. While studying, he began running, completing the Philadelphia half and then the full marathon, which proved a tough initiation into endurance sport. After returning to London, Marc joined a New York-based hedge fund. One evening, a documentary on the Marathon des Sables, a 150-mile race through the Sahara, piqued his interest. Though daunting, the challenge motivated him to train and complete the race in 2010. This sparked a broader interest in endurance events, leading to triathlons and eventually Ironman Wales in 2014. After supporting the acquisition of a Swiss cycling apparel brand, Marc was appointed CFO and pursued his passion for cycling. Marc relocated to Switzerland, where he applied his finance and strategy background to help grow the business internationally.

A Traveller’s PhD Supported by Émigré’s Solution-driven designs 

Marc quickly recognised the gap between casual and formal workwear in the tech and finance world, though he didn’t act on it until 2020, when he returned to the UK and was introduced to Ralph Thoma, who was just beginning to build Émigré. Intrigued by the challenge, Marc joined early, helping turn a raw idea into a global brand with teams across Asia, Europe and the US. Alongside leading finance, Marc returned to his love for computer science and is now pursuing a PhD. 

Regular travel between London and Sussex makes his Émigré backpack, laptop sleeve and lightweight layers like the oxford shirt and gilet his everyday essentials. Whether commuting, teaching or giving talks, Marc values Émigré’s smart, functional design that fits seamlessly into both academic and professional life.