DerivativesLab

It still surprises me how little information is out there about the in-house roles that exist across banking and finance.

There’s an entire world of legal careers hiding inside investment banking. Some banks and corporates offer their own training contracts. Most of us never hear about any of it until we’ve already ended up somewhere else.

And going in-house has real benefits. You sit next to the business. There are no billable hours. Your value is measured by judgment and impact, not a timesheet.

Got questions about this world? Ask me anything below - or tell me what you’d like me to cover next.

There are people in this world who don’t just talk about following their passion - they actually do it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of them. Bodybuilder. Actor. Governor. A man who has spent his entire life proving that extraordinary results require extraordinary commitment.

To me he has always been the epitome of one simple truth - the only limits that exist are the ones we place on ourselves

had a career that most people would never dare to leave. But it wasn’t until a once-in-a-lifetime conversation with Arnold Schwarzenegger that something shifted. Permanently.

Chris’s story is an extraordinary example of what happens when you choose to believe in yourself. It’s worth every minute of your time.

DM me or comment “CHRIS” and I will send you the link to the entire interview.

The biggest opportunities are often hiding in plain sight - right where you already are.

I know that sounds like a cliché. But the jump that changed my career didn’t happen in a global hub - it happened when I moved back home to Poland.

If you want to build an international career in banking and finance and understand what an in-house lawyer’s world actually looks like inside the multi-million dollar world of investment banking my Becoming a Derivatives Negotiator masterclass will help.

The politics. The context. How to make yourself visible, wherever you’re based.

Comment or DM me “HUB” and I’ll send you the link.

The conversation shouldn’t really be about whether people use AI or not. Almost everyone does now.

The real question is whether you’re allowing it to replace the thinking. The judgment. The point of view. The creativity.

But I’m genuinely curious what others think about this.

So to every creator out there, in every niche: how do you stay authentic in a world of AI?

Meet Chris Ballantyne

He didn’t come from the typical City mould.

State school. An accent he was told wouldn’t fly in London law. People did impressions of him in the corridors.

He made it anyway.

Addleshaw Goddard. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Vice President at Deutsche Bank’s distressed products desk. Multi-billion-dollar restructurings.

By every conventional measure, he’d made it.

Then he did the maths.

One snowboarding trip a year from the age of 32 to 60? That’s just 28 more trips.

Then his grandfather passed away.

And a once-in-a-lifetime conversation with Arnold Schwarzenegger gave him the confidence to back himself.

So he did.

Today, Chris still restructures.

But instead of billion-dollar deals, he helps high achievers restructure how they train, eat, think and live - so they can come off autopilot and build a body and mind that match the career they’ve worked so hard to build.

His clients include law firm partners, bankers, founders and senior executives who want to perform at a high level without sacrificing everything outside of work.

His belief is simple: high performance shouldn’t come at the expense of your health. With the right guidance, ambitious professionals don’t have to choose between a successful career and a fulfilling life.

- thank you for your honesty, your openness and for such a thoughtful conversation. I have no doubt this episode will resonate with so many people working in banking, finance, law and beyond. And I’m already looking forward to part 2!

🎙️ The full episode is out now.

DM me and I’ll send you the link to watch it.

If you’d like to work with , send him a DM. He responds personally to every message.