602: Harvard's Scott Levy on His Path from Investment Banking to Public Education and Leading in Uncertain Times

602: Harvard's Scott Levy on His Path from Investment Banking to Public Education and Leading in Uncertain Times

Author: FirmsConsulting.com & StrategyTraining.com November 17, 2025 Duration: 53:20

Scott Levy spent two decades as an investment banker at firms like J.P. Morgan, advising corporate boards and senior executives on risk, growth, and capital decisions. Then he pivoted, serving on a public school board, teaching at Harvard, and writing Why School Boards Matter.

 

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How Levy broke into investment banking and the lessons that carried him through twenty years on Wall Street

  • What he learned about resilience, risk-taking, and long-term thinking at the highest levels of finance

  • Why he left a successful career to focus on public education and democracy

  • How business principles can, and cannot, be applied productively to education

  • What executives misunderstand about AI, and the questions they should be asking

 

Get Scott's book, Why School Boards Matter, here: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552721/why-school-boards-matter/

 

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Tune into The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving for conversations that move beyond abstract theory and into the practical mechanics of decision-making. Hosted by the teams behind FirmsConsulting.com & StrategyTraining.com, this series connects you directly to the minds shaping how organizations and individuals operate. Each episode features a diverse roster of guests, including sitting CEOs, senior partners from top consulting firms, acclaimed academics, and even high performers from sports and the arts, all dissecting pressing challenges in business and society. What you'll hear is a deep, unfiltered exchange of ideas on applying strategic frameworks, exercising genuine leadership, and honing the critical thinking required to solve complex problems. The dialogue is built for professionals aiming to advance their careers, managers seeking more effective tools, and anyone interested in the disciplined thought processes that drive success. This podcast serves as an audio companion for those who want to learn from real-world application, not just textbook cases. By focusing on the interplay between strategy, leadership, and problem-solving, it provides actionable insights you can use immediately in your own work and life.
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The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving
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