The paths to becoming a chief executive are many. But Elizabeth Gaines’ accension to the top of Fortescue, or Matt Comyn’s to the plum role at the Commonwealth Bank could be as much a function of nurture as it is nature, according to new analysis.

Preply, an online learning provider, dug into the education backgrounds of CEOs on the Forbes list of 1000 top global companies to see which universities have a track record of developing strong leadership.