Daniel Stevenson

The former Cambridge High School head boy was one of over 1,000 applicants chasing a handful of positions offered by the bank, working in corporate banking and finance.

After a year in Sydney, Daniel was offered the opportunity of a lifetime to move to New York and work on Wall Street; at the heart of the financial world.

Fast forward to today and Daniel has risen through the ranks to become a senior director within the leveraged finance team at Deutsche Bank. He advises clients from all over the world seeking finance for multi-billion-dollar acquisitions or expansions.

“I’m passionate and driven, and prepared to give things a go," says Daniel.

"At my London graduate training I was in classrooms with people from Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford and every other 'top' university you could think of, and I can say wholeheartedly that the knowledge I had from the University of Waikato was just as good as what they had."

Daniel credits his study at Waikato for giving him a practical hands-on approach to learning - as opposed to the 'book-driven' nature of some other universities

A talented rugby player and athlete, he came to university on a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship, intending to study law and social sciences.

But after taking one economics paper, he decided management was the right subject for him. “So I jumped ship and never looked back. Waikato Management School gave me a passion for business, and during my four years' study I took every opportunity to get different experiences.”

“The Waikato Management School Case Competition was one of the best things I ever did at university. The practical experience is invaluable and was a big part of my success.”

He says finance and strategic management were the perfect combination for a career in banking.