The Investment Banking Leaders Podcast

What separates transactional bankers from truly trusted advisors?
In this episode, Philip Ross, Vice Chairman at Jefferies shares his unconventional journey from medical school to Wall Street, and the principles that have shaped his 28+ year career.

Philip explains why the best bankers think in 10-year relationship arcs, stay relentlessly client-centric, and hold themselves to exceptionally high standards, even when no deal is on the table.

He also breaks down how VPs and Directors can move beyond execution to become strategic partners clients trust.

A masterclass in leadership, origination, and long-term thinking from one of the industry’s most respected voices.

Most investment bankers are trained to execute.
Very few are trained to originate and that’s why most never make partner or build their own firm.
In this episode, Marcel Brix, Co-Managing Director and shareholder at Blok Management, shares how he went from intern to co-founder of one of Germany’s fastest-growing boutique investment banks and why he now spends 90% of his time on origination.
We break down:
What really changes when you move from executor to originator

How Marcel helped scale a boutique from zero to 20+ people

Why discipline, routines, and soft skills matter more than technical brilliance

How VPs can start building a personal deal pipeline today

The leadership mindset required to grow a firm without losing culture

If you want to advance faster, build leverage, or one day launch your own boutique, this episode is a must-listen.

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Welcome to the Investment Banking Leaders Podcast
Why this episode matters for ambitious bankers
02:00 – From intern to boutique banker: Marcel’s unconventional path
Why big banks weren’t the right fit
06:30 – How Bloc Management was born
The deal that changed everything
09:00 – The brutal early days of building a boutique
Doing everything yourself — models, pitches, admin, and sales
14:30 – Why origination is the real career unlock in investment banking
The skill most bankers never properly develop
18:00 – The partner problem: execution vs. origination
Why many bankers hit a ceiling
21:30 – How Marcel spends 90% of his time on origination
Funnels, LinkedIn, podcasts, and consistency
26:00 – Advice for VPs trying to become originators
How to carve out origination time without dropping execution quality
30:00 – Should bankers learn sales?
Why soft skills matter more than most admit
34:00 – Discipline, routines, and compounding habits
Why success is a marathon, not a sprint
38:30 – Leadership lessons from building a firm from scratch
How to lead without ego
42:00 – Treating interns like future partners
Why culture compounds over time
45:00 – Building and protecting culture while scaling Putting people first — even before shareholders
48:00 – Book recommendation: Atomic Habits
Why small habits drive outsized results
49:00 – One piece of advice for bankers who want to build their own boutique
Start earlier than you think

Investment Banking Leaders Club: https://ibleadersclub.com/Host: Peter Nieberg (  https://www.linkedin.com/in/peternieberg/ )Guest: Marcel Brix: (  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-brix/ ) / https://www.blok-management.de/en/Sponsors: https://www.altrum.com/

Welcome back to another great episode of The Investment Banking Leaders Podcast! In today's episode, we will explore how one man's refusal to lose and deep belief in integrity built the world's most elite shareholder activism defense practice.
From a small steel town in Germany to Wall Street, Kai Liekefett became the world's top shareholder activism defense lawyer. He unpacks the "soap opera" of corporate battles, how he built a booming practice with constant BD, and why asking “why” is the key to leadership, learning, and client trust.
To learn more from Kai, tune into Episode 38 of The Investment Banking Leaders Podcast today!

Welcome back to The Investment Banking Leaders Podcast! In this episode, our host Pete Nieberg chats with Luis Carlos Ochoa Paris, founder of Valoriza Group.From his early days in Colombia reading the Wall Street Journal to becoming a top independent investment banker in Latin America, Luis shares his journey, lessons learned, and leadership advice.Don't miss this inspiring conversation covering client trust, grit, international exposure, and the impact of AI in investment banking!Join the Investment Banking Leaders Club for more valuable resources at ibleadersclub.com.00:00 Introduction to the Podcast00:41 Meet Luis Carlos Ochoa Paris01:07 Luis's Journey to Founding Valoriza Group07:09 Keys to Building Trust in Cross-Border Transactions09:26 Client-Centric Culture at Valoriza14:25 Leadership Lessons from Family and Mentors15:56 The Role of Discipline in Personal and Professional Life18:13 Importance of Networking and Client Relationships22:13 The Power of Networking in Business23:36 Transitioning from Execution to Origination23:46 Insights on Working at Citi28:00 Advice for Aspiring Global Bankers30:28 Finding Passion in Investment Banking35:44 The Role of AI in Investment Banking39:25 Recommended Reads for Leaders42:00 Final Reflections and Advice

Welcome back to another episode of The Investment Banking Leaders Podcast!
This week, we welcome Chiara Operto, founder of Edge Skills. In Episode 36, she shares how she went from Credit Suisse M&A to fintech entrepreneur, why sales and soft skills matter more than ever, and how AI is shaping finance training!
A must-listen for aspiring bankers, juniors, and future leaders!00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:39 Introducing Today's Guest: Chiara Operto
01:51  Chiara's Journey in Investment Banking
04:10 Building Trust and Standing Out as a Junior Banker
11:02 The Importance of Sales Skills in Banking
15:17 Leadership and Entrepreneurship Insights
17:59 Managing Resilience and Avoiding Burnout
20:11 Taking Risks and Embracing Entrepreneurship
21:52 The Importance of Co-Founders
23:11 AI in Recruiting: Opportunities and Challenges
26:25 Staying Relevant in an AI-Driven World
27:36 Business Development and Community Building
30:42 Proactive Outreach and Building Visibility
34:57 Advice for Aspiring Professionals
36:21 Recommended Resources and Final Thoughts