Before the Medici family rose to power in the early 15th century, the Peruzzi family was one of Florence’s two premier banking families (alongside the Bardi) that helped pioneer the modern world of banking! Alongside the Bardi, the Peruzzi were ruined by a combination of King Edward III of England Read more…
Although the Medici are today recognized as the most important banking dynasty to come out of Medieval Florence, before them the Bardi family were the most important bankers in Florence. Ruined by an unsecured loan to King Edward III, the Bardi were forced to ally themselves with the up-and-coming Medici Read more…
Though not as famous as his Fed-founding brother Paul, Felix M. Warburg was arguably just as instrumental to the world of banking as his brother was, albeit in a completely different way. After marrying Frieda Schiff, the only daughter of investment banker Jacob Schiff, Felix became a partner at his Read more…
Modern Switzerland stands as a hub of business, trade and commerce. But it may surprise you to learn that this wasn’t always the case, with this only coming about thanks to the work of one man: Alfred Escher. The man behind numerous companies such as Credit Suisse, Swiss Life, Gotthard Read more…
Known as “il vechio” (“The Elder”) as he lived to the ripe old age of 75, Cosimo de’ Medici turned the Medici Bank from a large, yet humble Florentine bank into one of the largest in Europe, becoming immensely wealthy in the process. Aside from this, he was also a Read more…
A fourth generation banker, Emilio Botin turned a small family-owned bank in northern Spain into one of the largest banks not just in the world! And he did this with little more than a strong vision and hard work. Early Life Emilio Botín-Sanz de Sautuola García de los Ríos was Read more…
An early advocate of central banking in the US – a country famed for its disdain for such a concept as it was “too British” – Paul Warburg led a group of bankers including the famed J. P. Morgan to create the Federal Reserve. And whilst not perfect by any Read more…
Known by his much-hated moniker “Bid ’em up Bruce”, Bruce Wasserstein wasn’t your typical investment banker – he didn’t dress, talk or act the part – yet he was arguably the most influential investment banker in the history of the mergers & acquisitions industry! During his nearly 30 year-long career, Read more…
Having worked his way up from janitor’s assistant to the head of the firm, Sidney Weinberg’s is a true rags to riches story and one that contradicts the well refined, Ivy League-educated image that Wall Street has curated for itself over the last century. Despite his lack of such an Read more…