7 Stories Up at SNFL, Author Talks: Scott Bok with Liz Magill: Surviving Wall Street: A Tale of Triumph, Tragedy, and Timing
Location
Join long-time CEO Scott Bok, in conversation with Professor Liz Magill of the Penn Carey Law School, as he discusses his coming of age story—and the dramatic transformation of the investment banking industry—that he captures in his new book Surviving Wall Street: A Tale of Triumph, Tragedy, and Timing.
This event will take place in person at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on the 7th Floor.
Surviving Wall Street: A Tale of Triumph, Tragedy and Timing portrays the dramatic transformation of the investment banking business in recent decades through the tumultuous saga of one firm (Greenhill & Co., a specialist in mergers and acquisitions) and one man (Scott Bok, the longtime CEO of that firm). Written in the style of an adventure tale, this book is also a "coming of age" story for a naive young man who came to Wall Street―as thousands like him do each year―and managed to grab a front-row seat for a period of epic change. Readers will gain an insider's perspective on:
A M&A firm's journey from start-up to wildly successful first-of-a-kind IPO and later to a sale to a major global bank;
Numerous crises that rocked Greenhill and all of Wall Street, including the dot-com crash, global financial crisis and pandemic;
How the creation of new firms and mergers or collapses of old ones have driven the evolution and growth of the industry;
The author's role in a battle for control of the University of Pennsylvania that featured activist shareholder and corporate takeover tactics.
A firsthand account of deals and dealmakers told from inside the boardroom, Surviving Wall Street will captivate those wanting to understand the dramatic evolution and expansion of Wall Street, as well as younger readers hoping to chart their own path to success in this Darwinian industry.
To join the event in person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.
To join the event online | Whether you're attending in person or online, you must register with your email address.The Zoom link will be sent to you by email approximately one day before the event. You will need a device with audio and/or video and an internet/cellular connection to join.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Scott Bok has spent 4 decades on Wall Street advising CEOs and boards of directors, primarily on mergers and acquisitions. He began his career as a lawyer at Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz before transitioning to investment banking at Morgan Stanley, where he spent a decade in its New York and London offices. Twenty-eight years ago he moved to the start-up M&A specialist Greenhill & Co., where he rose to become CEO, later Chairman and currently Senior Advisor. He has also played a leadership role in the nonprofit world, serving as board chair at the American Museum of Natural History, the University of Pennsylvania and Prep for Prep. Scott received his undergraduate and law degrees at Penn, where he met his wife of 43 years, Roxanne Bok, an author and equestrian. They have two adult children.
M. Elizabeth (Liz) Magill is a Professor of Law at the Penn Carey Law School, a position she has held since July 2022. Professor Magill was Penn’s 9th President until December 2023. Magill came to Penn in 2022 after serving for three years as Executive Vice President and Provost at the University of Virginia, the first woman to hold that position. Prior to that, she was the Richard E. Lang Professor and Dean of Stanford Law School for seven years. Before joining Stanford, she was on the faculty at the University of Virginia School of Law for 15 years. Earlier in her career, she was a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Kent Conrad (ND) and a law clerk to Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She has a BA in History from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. A scholar of administrative and constitutional law, Magill is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the American Law Institute. She has been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, held a fellowship in the Law and Public Affairs Program at Princeton University, was the Thomas Jefferson visiting professor at Downing College, Cambridge University, and is a Visiting Professor of Law at the London School of Economics. Her articles have been published in leading law reviews, and she has won several awards for her scholarly contributions. Magill grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and is married to Leon Francis Szeptycki, a lawyer and expert in natural resources law and policy. They have two children.
GET THE BOOK
- Borrow: NYPL Catalog
- E-Book app: SimplyE, available on iOS and Android
- This event will also include signing and sales of the book by our Library Shop.
Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!
ACCESSIBILITY NOTES
In-Person
- Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue.
- You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.
- This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.
Webinar
- Captions and a transcript will be provided.
- You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail templateaccessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.
CONNECT WITH US
Sign up for our e-newsletters to stay up to date on upcoming events and Library offerings.
Please submit all press inquiries to Connor Goodwin at least 48 hours before the event: email connorgoodwin@nypl.org.
SUPPORT THE LIBRARY
The New York Public Library's free services and resources are made possible thanks to the support of the Friends of the Library. Join this group of Library lovers and take advantage of special membership benefits, like invitations to members-only virtual events, discounts at the Library Shop, and more. Join now.
All programs are subject to change or cancellation. All programs are subject to recording and photography.
The 7 Stories Up Series at SNFL is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).