David Webb MBE (Prideaux Fellow and alumnus), 1965–2026

David Webb was appointed MBE in 2025 for his work in corporate governance

It is with great sadness that I share the news of the death of Prideaux Fellow, David M. Webb MBE (1983, Mathematics), who passed away peacefully in Hong Kong on 13 January 2026.

David was a distinguished Exonian – a successful investment banker turned activist. Even before he turned 18, he had written a book, Supercharge Your Spectrum, articulating how to get the most out of the ZX Spectrum computer. When at Exeter, he would often cycle to his bank in Oxford to place an order in London for some shares.

It is little surprise that a career in investment banking followed. Working for Barclays, David moved to Hong Kong from London in 1991 and retired from investment banking seven years later. Having already made enough money to be financially secure, he was more interested in leaving his mark on the system than dying rich. The former he did in spades.

David went on to become one of Hong Kong’s most vocal shareholder activists, advocating for greater corporate transparency and stronger investor rights. He was championed by retail investors, who saw him as a rare outlier in a corporate world known for vested interests and opacity, and was often a headache for regulators whose failings he laid bare. David was also vocal about changes in Hong Kong’s political scene in recent years, including noting last year what he described as excess self-censorship among opinion writers following the imposition by Beijing of a sweeping national security law in 2020, in the wake of citywide pro-democracy protests.

In 2008, David established the Exeter College Incentive Scheme. In 2023, he put in place the David M. Webb Prize for Academic Excellence, awarded to undergraduates achieving Firsts or Distinctions in their first-year examinations. Most recently, he permanently endowed the College’s first Tutorial Fellowship in Computer Science. In 2025, David was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his work in raising corporate governance standards in Hong Kong.

David will be sorely missed by family, friends, and supporters alike. He is survived by his wife, Karen and their two adult sons, the elder of whom graduated from Magdalen College in 2025.

Andrew Roe
Rector