So the list is out! Impressed with Daniel Ahn’s profile; others, not so much! http://www.forbes.com/special-report/2012/30-under-30/30-under-30_finance.html
A few of my friends from college/biz school made the list this year. Don’t know what the qualifying criteria are but in my view, all of them have pretty awesome backgrounds/accomplishments. I was as surprised as anyone to see them on the list, but now looking back, they all seemed to have a certain “spark” or intrinsic motivation at a young age (while the rest of us including myself were still trying to find ourselves and figure out what we were really passionate about in work/life). Maybe that’s what sets people like the “top 30” apart?
Agreed. Just yesterday, my boss was asking me about my future goals (career or otherwise) and I was like, “Well I like this job (for now) but haven’t planned anything beyond that and not even sure if I want to do this stuff all my life since I see no growth in this particular field. But if money is good, why not.” I’m glad there not much competition here or else after seeing my ‘motivation’ level he would have been looking for my replacements!
Astonishing. When did Associate and VP in an IB become high achievers?
What amazed me more was the fact that one VP completed 75 financing deals in a year 
Half of them were Asian. I’m in the right place.
Thanks for the link, the more I read it the better I feel about myself.
Yeah, I also know a few people on here. I thought the below one was actually pretty unimpressive. May as well put Donny Trump on here. “Used to work for Dan Loeb and Goldman Sachs; now chief investment officer of $65 million New York hedge fund he started with backing from his family, which made its money in outlet shopping malls, and other investors.”
There’s also Peter Ma under Media who is an associate at a VC/PE firm. While I’m sure it’s a fantastic job, no description of how it’s exceptional… Only know one person on the list from my high school under Science and Healthcare
Is this stuff even real? “developed expertise in trading commercial mortgage-backed securities at New York structured credit hedge fund that has been crushing it recently” I don’t know. Nothing on this list really impresses me. A few that I can’t figure out what separates them from most other young CFA’s I know on the buyside and a few that are just rich kids.
Every time I think I’m doing well, I see one of these types of articles and I go back to thinking I’m a sack of crap.
They’re all geeks.
Thanks for ruining my holidays. I am not even under 30 anymore.
I just wanted to make sure I’m not the only one who feels like crap after going through the list.
I don’t understand the big deal. These guys are definitely doing better than most. But most of what I see on this list is just some good report cards and some family money. It’s actually says something pitiful about the financial industry and the people we attract when you compare this list to the 30 Under 30 lists for Energy, Tech and Social Entrepreneurs.
I mean, this list is meant to sell magazines to the friends of the 30 people, right? How do you even get on the list? Does someone have to submit your name or what? It’s like the US News “Who’s who” in high school. Fun to read, but don’t take it too seriously.
Overall a solid list but way too many people who are not self-made.
Daniel Ahn is one of the smartest pepole i’ve ever met. The guy is insane.
I know jonathan berger through mutual friends. Surprised he made the list. I know he’s doing well for himself (rumor is that he made around $5 million last year including bonus), but i don’t see him as being that much smarter or more talented than other finance rockstars I know.
There are a lot of people at elite hedge funds (SAC, Paulson, Viking, Soros, Greenlight, Baupost, Pershing Square, etc.) who are WAY more impressive than most on this list, but they would never allow themselves to be on this cheesy article.
Can we have a list excluding people who got there with family money?