Citywealth Leaders List, 60 second interview – Tony McChrystal, Pavesen

Date: 25 Feb 2026

Karen Jones

This week’s 60 seconds Citywealth Leaders List interview is dedicated to Tony McChrystal, Managing Director at Pavesen, a reputation consultancy.

Tell Citywealth readers a bit about your role.

I’m the Founder and Managing Director of Pavesen, a bespoke reputation management firm based in London. We advise high-profile individuals, family offices, C-suite executives and select organisations on reputation risk, protection and digital footprint strategy. Our work focuses on safeguarding reputations across search results, online media coverage, AI platforms and social media environments through discreet, manual and intelligence-led interventions.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A typical day combines strategic advisory work with active case oversight. I review media coverage and online mentions to identify emerging reputation risks, speak with active clients about their ongoing reputation projects, and coordinate with our strategic partners on remediation and protection strategies. I also have to practice what I preach, so I dedicate time to developing thought leadership content across my professional platforms, focusing on reputation risk, digital footprint management, and preventative strategy.

Tell us about some recent, interesting client instructions/requests you have received.

I can’t discuss individual cases, but a growing number of recent instructions relate to deepfake content and manipulated media. Clients are increasingly concerned about synthetic video and audio being used to create false narratives online. Pavesen has spent significant time identifying, evidencing and securing removals across social and digital platforms, alongside putting preventative monitoring and response frameworks in place.

What challenges do your clients face and how are you helping your clients to overcome them?

Many of our clients face disproportionate negative representation online. They may have spent years building a strong offline reputation, only for it to be undermined digitally by misleading, outdated or defamatory information. We address this through structured reputation risk analysis and lawful, white-hat remediation strategies, working within established legal and platform frameworks. Alongside removal and correction where appropriate, we implement proactive search and digital footprint strategies to restore balance and ensure online visibility more accurately reflects reality.

What is your proudest professional achievement?

One of my proudest professional achievements is the pro bono work we have done, successfully removing thousands of non-consensual intimate images from the internet for vulnerable individuals. Work like that has a real and immediate impact on people’s lives, and it means more to me than commercial success alone.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

Judgment, composure and accountability are essential leadership attributes. Leading by example matters – people follow actions more than words. I also believe in trusting capable people to find the right solutions themselves, with clear direction and support rather than micromanagement. Strong leadership is built on consistency, empowerment and ownership of outcomes.

Who do you most admire and why?

I admire leaders who don’t need to be the loudest person in the room to be effective. The strongest leaders I’ve seen lead through judgment, consistency and substance rather than volume. They create trust, make measured decisions, and let results speak for themselves.

Where was the last place you travelled to for work or pleasure?

New York for St Patrick’s Day. I’m fortunate to still travel regularly with the same group of friends I went to school with – the twelve of us contribute monthly to a shared travel fund so we can take a trip together each year and properly catch up. New York is perfect for a short five-day stay – you can experience an enormous amount in a short time. It’s intense, energising, and a real sensory overload, but that’s exactly what makes it such a buzz. When I’m there, I also try to schedule client meetings where possible – face-to-face time is still unrivalled when it comes to building strong relationships.

If you weren’t in this industry, what else might you be doing?

If I weren’t in this industry, I would likely have pursued something creative – possibly animation or another art-based field that built on my university studies. Art is still a genuine passion of mine, and I continue to paint when time allows, so I suspect my work would still involve some form of visual storytelling or creative production.

How do you relax after a long day?

After I’ve put my son to bed – which includes story time, which is relaxing in itself – I like to unwind with reading, mainly fiction, or painting. I studied fine art at university and still enjoy painting when time allows. I’m not someone who relaxes with self-help business books or performance podcasts – my downtime is about properly switching off.

If you could recommend one person in the private wealth industry, who would it be, and what would you say about them?

I would recommend Tom Cassidy, Head of Private Wealth at Wealth at Work – someone I’ve had the pleasure of knowing personally for over 25 years and professionally for much of that time as well. He is well regarded in the private wealth space for his integrity, judgment and client-first approach. He brings clarity and discretion to complex matters and is someone clients and peers trust.

Subscribe to the Citywealth Weekly Newsletter to learn more about Private Wealth Management.

Read more:

Francesca Boschini – Deutsche Bank Wealth Management Insights

Powerwomen USA Nominees for 2026 – final week for voting! 

Citywealth Powerwomen Awards – USA – Shortlist | Citywealth | 2026 shortlist best offshore

Citywealth Forum USA Speakers 2026

Deutsche Bank hires Nicola Baker in USA Wealth Push

Deutsche Bank ESG: “Mangroves – why they need protection”

The Latest Deutsche Bank CIO Special Report Insights | Citywealth News