He was educated at Tamar High School, Plymouth.
He has a first class honours degree in physics from the University of Manchester, and a doctorate (Doctor of Philosophy) in mathematical physics from Brasenose College, University of Oxford in 1988. Pester was employed by McKinsey & Company as a management consultant, before running Virgin Money, and then working in various senior roles for Lloyds Trustee Savings Bank, Santander and Lloyds Banking Group. Trustee Savings Bank
In June 2014, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported that Pester could earn more than £1.6 million this year in pay and bonuses.
