Mr. Crowder began his career in the 1980s, analyzing Latin American bank debt during the regional debt crisis. After earning his MBA, he joined a subsidiary of American Express, then the largest fund manager in the US, where he became one of the most recognized buy-side bank analysts in the country.

In 1995, he was recruited by Goldman Sachs as a senior banking analyst in London. Within three years, he was ranked as Goldman’s top European banking analyst and co-headed a leading EMEA banking research team. He published widely circulated research reports on European and emerging-market financial institutions and regularly advised investment bankers on IPOs, mergers, and strategic transactions.

During his tenure at Goldman Sachs, Neil successfully commercialized the firm’s research product and introduced the widely adopted “Conviction List” process. Promoted in 2000 to Head of European Research, he oversaw a division of 300 professionals and was named a Partner of Goldman Sachs in 2002. He also served on the firm’s Global Commitments Committee, responsible for approving equity-related transactions and ensuring rigorous due diligence and compliance across major client engagements.

After leaving Goldman Sachs in 2006, Neil founded Chayton Capital, a London- and South Africa–based private equity firm that earned multiple industry awards and gained international recognition. He has served on the boards of several portfolio companies and on the investment committee of a global private equity fund investing in financial services worldwide (2008–2018). He is also an active business mentor and university lecturer.