Finance and journalism are full of these people. A fair few in startupland as well.

It's possible to get to a certain level without those connections, but it's very hard to get the top jobs. And you'll never be an insider.

Conversely quite a few people in those top jobs are there because of social game playing and status signalling, not because of talent or raw intellect.

I had a friend who started a number of businesses in the UK, including some dating apps before they became very popular. She said that at her public school the teachers would say things like "As the future leaders of the UK you should..."