Why the Best Investment Bankers Aren’t Always From Top Schools | KCB

There’s a common assumption in finance hiring: the best candidates come from the best universities, with the “right” degree: economics, finance, mathematics. It’s an easy filter to apply, but it’s also a lazy one, and it screens out people who might be genuinely exceptional at the actual work. What matters more is whether someone has a strong financial foundation, the discipline to conduct rigorous due diligence, and, critically, the ability to take raw, unstructured information and convert it into a level of insight that can actually inform a decision. That’s a skill set, not a credential, and it shows up in people with arts degrees as often as it does in people with mathematics degrees. Investment banking talent is not one-size-fits-all. As MD Maurice Opiyo shares with host Maina Chege in the second episode of the Architects of Deals series on the Lion’s Share podcast, this is the hiring philosophy behind how KCB Investment Bank builds its team: prioritizing substance over pedigree, because the work ultimately speaks for itself.