National Bank of New Zealand
Gates was educated at Ilford County High School and the University of London before working at the National Bank of New Zealand at their London office, 1925–30. He then moved to John Holt &amp; Co. (Liverpool) Ltd, where he worked until his retirement in 1967. He was resident in Nigeria, 1930–46 and their General Manager there from 1940. He became their Managing Director in 1956 and their Deputy Chairman in 1964. He was also a director of the West African Airways Corporation, 1941–46.