I was recently invited to offer observations on the evolving role of “values” and incentives in businesses, particularly from the perspective of a so-called “financial buyer.” The convening was organized in London by the Center for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics and was titled “Quaker Capitalism.” I graduated from university a bit over 50 years ago, and after a brief tour in the armed forces, several years at a commercial bank and business school, I ended up on Wall Street. I came to advise corporations on merger and acquisition transactions, working for one of what were then a number of small,…