Alan "Ace" Greenberg will have worked at Bear Stearns for 50 years next month. Over that time he has become a legend of Wall Street. He joined the firm when it had 125 employees, most of whom, he says, were relatives of the partners. He became the chairman and chief executive officer of Bear Stearns in 1978, and still holds the position of chairman.
He works less than he used to, but arrives at his trading desk every morning at 8am and leaves at 4pm. The monosyllabic banker who is paid some $20 million a year, has worked with the greats of Wall Street - Sandy Weill, Henry Kravis, Warren Buffett and Carl Icahn, among others.
In an age of faceless institutions, Greenberg is one with personality, albeit hard as nails.
Why do you still work? It's kind of like a game. When people ask me: "Why do you still work?",...
