Greg Fleming on the World of Finance

CELINE CHANG/DEERFIELD SCROLL

President and CEO of the Rockefeller Capital Management Greg Fleming joined Board of Trustees President Leila Govi ’93 in the Caswell Library following sit-down dinner on Thursday, April 23, to discuss the evolving landscape of global finance and leadership. Mr. Fleming offered his inside perspective on the world of investment banking and fielded questions from Ms. Govi, partner at Egerton Capital, an investment management firm in London. She began by introducing Mr. Fleming as a “rockstar in the finance world, [and] one of the most respected leaders and a true legend on Wall Street.” 

Mr. Fleming is a frequent visiting lecturer at the Yale Law School with extensive business experience at Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and currently, Rockefeller & Co. He began by reflecting on Deerfield Academy’s impact on his daughter, who graduated in 2014:  “Leadership is incredibly important in every aspect of life, and the leadership that you all have with Leila as president of the board and Dr. Austin as head of school is best in class.”

In response to Ms. Govi’s question about the repercussions of AI on the job market in the finance industry, he further underscored the importance of institutions like Deerfield Academy, saying, “The ability to apply interpretation and analysis is going to be more highly valued. You come out of Deerfield Academy and you learn … to think, to adapt, [and] to make decisions with a complicated set of facts.”

The conversation delved into professional culture in the finance industry and the character Mr. Fleming looks for in job applicants. He emphasized the importance of collaboration, urging students to “be the high-road person. Have people want to be in the room with you. Collaborate well, and then you’ll start to lead well. [Leadership] comes down to … supporting and highlighting the people around you for their strengths.”

This focus on character resonated with faculty and students, including History and Social Science Department Chair Brian Hamilton. He noted how Mr. Fleming’s emphasis on soft skills resonated with him. 

“Mr. Fleming affirmed what Deerfield’s curriculum works to foster in our students–values like critical interpretation and analytical thinking–even in a hard nosed world like that of finance,” Mr. Hamilton said. For him, these values mirrored the culture of Deerfield itself: “We all take responsibility for everything that happens on campus. We think of all students as ours.”

Dima Kasumov ’27 spoke for many students when he illustrated his personal appreciation for Mr. Fleming’s perspective. As the founder of the financial markets club (CapX), Kasumov spoke about publicizing the event to over 150 people in economics classes and clubs. With his own interests in the vast world of finance, he offered his insights on the talk. “The idea that Mr. Fleming went into law and ended up as one of the most world-renowned financiers is very reassuring. It’s proof of the fact that not everything is linear and that you don’t need to follow the institutional path into finance,” he said.

Mr. Fleming leaned into the idea of a non-linear path, noting that his own career looked nothing like he expected as a young graduate. He urged students to embrace the “atypical path” and prepare for the “best laid plans to change.” This flexibility, he asserted, is the ultimate defense against the shifting job markets.

Addressing the rise of AI in the industry, Mr. Fleming admitted many “rote” jobs would be at risk, but the ability to apply analysis would quickly become a standout characteristic in the finance and business sector. He reassured the room that the core values of Deerfield’s education, along with assuming a character of collaboration, would be integral to long-term success. Additionally, he challenged students to look towards mentors who “push and prod” them to excel and be the “high-road person” with peers and competitors. 

As the evening drew to a close, Mr. Fleming stressed that although the tools and landscape of finance are shifting, the foundational values that Deerfield fosters will remain a permanent tool. As members of CapX and Deerfield students engaged with the conversation between Ms. Govi and Mr. Fleming, the latter ended the night  with a sentiment from Nelson Mandela, a South African statesman and president: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”