An old boy went back to his old school - now as a partner at major investment bank Goldman Sachs.
Adam Crook returned to his alma mater, which he attended between 1985 and 1992, to deliver the 51st public Tillotson Lecture in November.
He said: "It’s great to be back at Bolton School. Thank you to all those who have hosted me during the day - in Economics, Business Studies and History lessons and all around the School.
"It really brought home to me the extremely high quality of young men and women that this school educates and sends out into the wider world.
"Success is not a straight line. If you have the right mindset, there is no limit to how high you can climb."
Adam shared how he attended Bolton School from 1985-1992 before reading political and economic history at the University of Edinburgh.
Reflecting on his 30-year career since leaving the boys’ division, he spoke of navigating a world of continuous, disruptive change.
He enrolled in the army, serving in the Queen's Lancashire Regiment after leaving the army as a Captain, Adam self-financed an MBA at London Business School before moving into banking.
Adam predicted that there will be some fantastic opportunities for the pupils' generation.
Read more: 'It's like Hogwarts'- The role a Bolton school plays in today's film and TV industry
Read more: Old boy who has worked with Louis Theroux inspires the next generation in Bolton
He explained how there has been phenomenal change in the world since he left school 31 years ago. However, he said, the world is now changing at a level unknown in human history and there will be even more transformational and disruptive change during the audience’s working careers.
He then played several short film clips from colleagues and friends.
George Lee, Head of Applied Innovation at Goldman Sachs, advised the audience to get engaged with technology, particularly AI, and that although the pace will be terrifying, it will create a world of opportunities.
Jan Hatzius, Chief Economist at Goldman, also predicted exciting times ahead and revealed how the state of the economy when you enter the job market plays a significant part in determining your career trajectory.
Ben Wallace, the former Secretary of State for Defence, advised students to never let anyone tell them that they are not good enough and that there’s always more than one way to achieve your goals.
John Waldron, President of Goldman Sachs, was equally upbeat about the future and reminded the audience that we are living in the best time in human history.
Adam concluded by saying: "The learning is in the climb… Enjoy your climb!"
The Tillotson Lecture series begun at the behest of the late Marcus Tillotson, a former Chairman of The Bolton News.
Former speakers include Sir Ian McKellen, Michael Portillo, Ralf Little, Lord Coe and Sir Philip Craven.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here