BANGKOK — Three years into his tenure at nonprofit Education Development Center, Dave Offensend has had plenty of time to reflect on how his first career shaped his second.
The former president and chief executive officer of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking Partnership, Offensend always saw himself eventually pursuing work in the nonprofit sector; he studied public and international affairs before pursuing a master’s in business. At 50, after founding an independent investment banking advisory firm, and in the wake of a long and successful career on Wall Street, he made the leap.
Offensend’s inbox now sees regular requests from other finance professionals hoping to glean the recipe to his success in the nonprofit world. He assured Devex there is no secret. In fact, managing in the nonprofit sector is much more challenging, he shared.