Harvey Chapel arrived at Keuka College in 1989 chasing rebounds and fast breaks. Today, he manages more than $8 billion in assets as a leader at Barclays Private Bank in northwest England.
Chapel, a 1993 graduate, credits both the classroom and the hardwood for shaping the mindset that drives his success in the financial sector. “I run my business the way I played basketball,” he said. “Success is a process—about practice and applying skills in a systematic fashion.”
Originally from West Yorkshire, England, Chapel joined Keuka College after being scouted as captain of the England U22 basketball team. The College’s liberal arts model allowed him to explore broadly before settling on a Management major. “In the UK, if you’re doing a degree in a particular subject, you’re pretty much just studying that subject,” he said. “At Keuka College, it’s more like a 50-50 split.”
Chapel used the College’s signature Field Period® internships to sharpen his business instincts. One standout experience came while assisting Keuka’s own marketing efforts. “It was incredibly powerful to apply what we were learning in class to a real-world challenge,” he said.
On the court, Chapel was a defensive anchor for the 1990-91 Wolves squad that finished with a record 19-6 season. Off the court, he pursued an MBA at Clarkson University through a Keuka College academic partnership, a move that helped launch his career in global finance.
Recruited first by AllianceBernstein, Chapel joined Barclays in 2012 and now advises top entrepreneurs across the UK. He was recently shortlisted for UK Private Banker of the Year by Citywealth Weekly.
And he’s still competing—this time with the FIMBA GB MO55 basketball squad, set to play in the World Maxibasketball Championship in Switzerland this summer.
“Keuka College is a special place, and you’ve got a whole community that really cares,” Chapel said. “So take full advantage of every chance to learn inside and outside the classroom.”
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