Nearly two dozen Blair students and faculty gathered in the Chiang Center for Innovation and Collaboration to hear Goldman Sachs vice president Matthew C. Maillet '06 share his path to and experiences in the financial services industry. During the March 1 Alumni Roundtable in the Collaboration Forum, Mr. Maillet reviewed the basics of different roles within asset management, where he has spent the majority of his career.
In introducing him to attendees, Head of School Chris Fortunato noted the Maillets' deep Blair roots; fellow graduates include Mr. Maillet's mother Patty (Gallagher) Maillet '77, brother Patrick Maillet '10 and sister Kaitlin Maillet Matyasovsky '04, as well as four cousins. As he gave the audience some background on his love for Blair and experiences in higher education, Mr. Maillet talked about the importance of Blair connections in "getting you from point A to point B," as well as the responsibility he feels to remain connected and give back. He then segued into an overview of his career in finance, offering students tips about the educational and professional opportunities they should explore if interested in entering that industry.
"When I look back and think about my closest network and the individuals who were most helpful during the first eight years of my career, it was undoubtedly my Blair people," said Mr. Maillet, who studied finance and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises at Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management, from which he earned his undergraduate degree in 2010. "When you are living in the dorms or day halls and making friends with classmates and teammates, you might not realize that you are truly building long-standing relationships with people. It might not make sense right now because, when I was in your shoes, I didn't realize how important my Blair friends would be. But, as you advance through college and professional life, you will see just how instrumental your Blair connections will be in your careers."
He then described how he learned this lesson firsthand. After earning his undergraduate degree, Mr. Maillet worked at State Street in Boston, rotating around in various roles throughout his three years at the company. By 2014, he was ready to move back to his home state of New Jersey and the stars aligned when he ran into fellow Blair alum and current Trustee Emmanuel Bello '04 at an Alumni Weekend gathering in Blairstown. They got to know each other, and Mr. Bello recommended Mr. Maillet for a position in Goldman Sachs' asset management division. He got the job, and the rest is history.
Four years later, the two still work together as vice presidents in different departments at Goldman Sachs. In his role, Mr. Maillet is deputy chief operating officer for the Quantitative Investment Strategies (QIS) group within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, while Mr. Bello works in fixed income.
"Emmanuel was an incredible resource for me at a time I was looking for a position with a large bank, and he had a profound impact on my professional direction, all because we share a Blair connection," said Mr. Maillet. "It definitely helped me see how we are all tied together, and I feel it is important to pay that forward," said Mr. Maillet.
The conversation flowed easily as Mr. Maillet fielded students' questions about his views on the impact of digitization on the finance industry, how the 2008 financial crisis influenced on his own career choices, the certifications he holds and plans to earn, and the various roles and career paths within the industry.
About Alumni Roundtables
Blair's Alumni Roundtable speakers' series connects today's students with prominent alumni across industries, giving soon-to-be graduates the opportunity to learn about different fields from experienced professionals.
Instituted in 2018 by Head of School Chris Fortunato, the Alumni Roundtable series welcomes Blair graduates of all generations to campus to speak about their careers and engage in question-and-answer sessions with students. Find out more about past and upcoming speakers, and please let us know if you would like to participate in a future event by contacting Director of Stewardship E. Courtnay Stanford at (908) 362-6121, ext. 5646, or stanfc@blair.edu.