The Most Successful Bankers Don’t Try to Fit In

Investment banking has never lacked for talent. It has never lacked for intelligence, ambition, or technical skill either. What it does lack at times and increasingly rewards is authenticity.

Not the buzzword version. Not the “just be yourself” cliché. But the deeper, harder version: Knowing who you are, what you’re good at, and building a career that amplifies that, rather than suppressing it.

Across conversations with senior bankers, a consistent truth emerges: The most successful careers in investment banking are not built by imitation. They’re built by self-discovery.

Authenticity Is Not a Switch, It’s a Process

One of the biggest misunderstandings about authenticity is that it’s something you decide to be. It isn’t. Authenticity isn’t a switch you turn on.

As Armin Heuberger, Former Head of ECM at UBS shared, “It’s something you arrive at over time by doing what genuinely suits you.”

That means:

• Being honest about what energises you

• Being clear about what doesn’t

• And resisting the pressure to perform someone else’s version of success

Many junior bankers assume the fastest route upward is to copy the most successful person in the room, the rainmaker, the aggressive negotiator, the loudest voice. That approach rarely works long-term.

As David Lam, Vice Chair at Deloitte, told us, “Trying to imitate a boss or senior banker whose style doesn’t match your personality is usually self-defeating.”

The leaders who last and rise are the ones who stop asking “Who should I sound like?” and start asking “How do I do this in a way that’s true to me?”

Authenticity Starts With Values

At its core, authenticity is about values. Being a “good” professional isn’t about fitting a mould, it’s about staying true to what you believe matters.

That requires uncomfortable self-honesty:

• What are you actually good at?

• What do you genuinely enjoy?

• Where do you add disproportionate value?

Avoiding those questions often leads to careers that look successful on paper but feel misaligned in practice.

“Being honest with yourself about your strengths and interests isn’t a weakness.
It’s a prerequisite for sustainability.” - Aaron Schwimmer, Partner, MTS Health Partners.

Authenticity is The Foundation of Real Relationships

Nowhere is authenticity more visible or more valuable than in relationships.

Personal Brand

The strongest personal brands in banking are not built by conforming to stereotypes, whether that’s the “golf-course banker,” the hyper-aggressive dealmaker, or the macho archetype that still lingers in parts of the industry.

The most compelling brands come from finding a unique path and owning it.

Karan Goyal, Head of Investor Relations & Managing Director at Emirates NBD, put it nicely: “Being yourself is the foundation of all real networking.”

Client Trust

Clients are exceptionally good at sensing when a relationship is purely transactional.

“Clients value advisors who are genuine, who show up consistently, who think beyond the immediate mandate, and who look out for them even when no deal is live.” Greg Rodgers, Partner, Vice Chair of the Corporate Department, at Latham & Watkins

That’s how bankers move from service provider to trusted advisor, not through performance theatre, but through authenticity and intent.

Authenticity and Sustainable Leadership

Many bankers experiment early in their careers with borrowed personas, the “tough guy,” the hyper-dominant leader, the emotionally distant operator.

For most people, these styles don’t stick, as trying to lead with a personality that isn’t yours is exhausting and often ineffective.

Authentic leaders are more sustainable because:

• Their teams trust them.

• Their behaviour is predictable.

• Their leadership feels credible.

They don’t need to perform authority; they earn it.

And for juniors, authenticity plays another crucial role:

Embracing who you are and what you bring is one of the most effective ways to overcome imposter syndrome. Confidence grows fastest when effort and identity align.

Why Authenticity Matters Even More for Diverse Talent

For women and professionals from non-traditional backgrounds, authenticity isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. There’s strong pressure early in banking careers to morph into what already exists.

The advice from leaders who’ve navigated this successfully is clear:

Don’t contort yourself to fit the environment. Bring your strengths with you.

For women in particular, the message is powerful:

“Stay a woman in the job. Don’t try to imitate men in a male-dominated world.”
Monika Nickl, Co-Head of Consumer Europe at Lincoln International.

Difference isn’t a liability. It’s a source of perspective and often the most valuable one in the room.

The Real Differentiator at Senior Levels

By the time technical skills are mastered, everyone is competent. At senior levels, what separates those who plateau from those who rise is not:

• Who works the longest hours

• Who fits the stereotype best

• Or who plays the part most convincingly

It’s who can:

• Communicate clearly

• Stay curious

• Build trust

• And remain authentic under pressure.

Technical skill is table stakes. Authenticity is what allows leadership to compound.

Final Thoughts

The irony of investment banking is this:

The more senior you become, the less success depends on fitting in, and the more it depends on standing comfortably in who you are.

Authenticity isn’t about being different for the sake of it. It’s about alignment between values, behaviour, and ambition. And in an industry built on trust, judgment, and relationships, alignment isn’t soft.

It’s decisive.

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