#5 From investment to banker to Buddhist: Johan de Mulder's story

The Mindful Banker

As a young man living in Belgium, Johan de Mulder was inspired by investment bankers in London earning their fortunes. He bought a book called ‘How to become an investment banker’ and worked his way into his dream job as an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. Johan was very good at his job, often being quoted in the FT and being recognised by colleagues and clients as a high performer. However, he found the reality of daily life rather stressful. His day started at 6am and he wouldn’t be home until 9pm. He called the Nespresso machine on his desk his ‘life support’. When the company restructured and let him go, he took the opportunity to explore life in a different way, experimenting with teaching, Fintech startups and joined a Buddhist community. In this interview we explore: - How he found his way into investment banking - What his lifestyle was like - How swimming helped him work less and improve his performance - How meditation benefits you at work and as an investor - The importance of purpose for performance and drive - The sacrifices people make for status and money - The epiphany he experienced on a Buddhist retreat - His three keys to being a mindful banker