I want you to get the best.
That’s why I’m presenting you the list of the Top 30 Investment Banks that I think can give you the best career in finance.
Each one of them has its own strengths and weaknesses. You must know them so that you can better evaluate where you would like to work.
Take note that all observations of the banks are on a general scale. For example, if I said a bank works on weekends, that doesn’t necessarily mean always, and does not necessarily mean all employees experience the same. It’s just to give you a bird’s eye view of the bank.
There are 30 of them, but, towards the end of this blog, I’m going to show you which I think are the top 2 for big bracket banks and top 2 among boutique investment banks.
Let’s start with the other 26 banks, which should still be part of your consideration. This is in no particular order.
List of the Top Investment Banks to Work for:
1. Macquarie Group
2. PJT Partners
3. Goldman Sachs
4. Citi
5. Deutsche Bank
6. Qatalyst
7. Barclays
8. Piper Jaffray
9. Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
10. Houlihan Lokey
11. Greenhill & Co., Inc.
12. Societe Generale
13. Liontree
14. Credit Suisse
15. BlackRock
16. Bank of America Merrill Lynch
17. UBS
18. HSBC
19. Wells Fargo
20. RBC Capital Markets
21. Jefferies & Company, Inc.
22. BNP Paribas
23. Lazard
24. Nomura Holdings
25. Allen & Company
26. Rothschild
27. JP Morgan Chase
28. Morgan Stanley
29. Centerview Partners
30. Evercore Partners
1. Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group is composed of several companies. Macquarie Capital Advisors handles M&As as well as the restructuring of distressed companies. In 2007 this subsidiary acquired Giuliani Capital Advisors. This increased the group’s number of employees by around 100.
Macquarie Securities (USA) Inc. is the bank’s subsidiary in America which handles securities operations in the USA in fields like debt markets, energy, emerging markets, electricity trading, and research.
Why work for them?
Employees reported the company had a people-centric culture. The managers or seniors are beneficial to the employees.
Downside
Well, just like in other firms, one of the downsides is that analysts usually work on Saturdays and Sundays.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.macquarie.com/ph/about/careers/graduate
2. PJT Partners
PJT Partners is a New-York based firm that is focused on three key areas: restructuring and special situations, strategic advisory, and Park Hill.
Park Hill provides fund-raising activity on a global scale.
PJT was founded in 2013 by well-known advisor Paul J. Taubman.
Some of their famous transactions include the sale of Yahoo to Verizon and the sale of Dreamworks to Comcast and the sale of Starz to Lionsgate.
Why work for them?
The people you will be working with are very well-versed in their fields. The reason is that the company doesn’t need so many employees; as such, they only hire the best of the best.
You could gain a lot of useful experience being with such banking professionals.
Downside
The prestige of the bank is less than those big bracket banks. There is also less infrastructure (like IT) and tools.
Guide to help you apply for them
3. Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs is very well-known, not just for the services it offers, but for the kind of experiences it provides to its employees. It is one of the most prestigious investment banks in the world.
It is consistently ranked among the top 5 investment banks in public polls.
This New York-based firm has a wide range of services segmented into four divisions. Aside from investment banking, it provides institutional services, lending, as well as investment management.
Why work for them?
Goldman’s prestige brings about a great boost to employees’ CVs. If you aim to gain experience and leave after a few years, working for Goldman Sachs is a good strategy.
Downside
Expect insane hours or work week after week.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.goldmansachs.com/careers/professionals/index.html
4. Citi
Boasting a long history of banking experience, which is actually more than 200 years, Citi is one of the biggest financial institutions in the world with branches in over 160 countries. Chances are there is one in your locality.
Why work for them?
Since there are a lot of branches in the world, you can someday ask to be transferred to the country of your origin.
You can also transfer within the bank, from investment banking to private banking or even vice versa. You can shift once you think investment banking is not for you.
Downside
Long hours and weekend work. Also, career growth is relatively less than its other big counterparts banks.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://careers.citigroup.com/Careers/index/#/
5. Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank is one of the leading financial groups in Europe. Aside from investment banking, it also has services in international trade, cross-border payments, cash management, and insurance.
There’s a Deutsche bank in more than 70 countries.
Why work for them?
Deutsche would give you exposure on a global scale. Plus, there’s a lot of ongoing training while you are inside the bank.
There are also a lot of opportunities waiting aside from investment banking.
Downside
Office politics could slow down the growth of your career.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://careers.db.com/students-graduates/#/graduate/
6. Qatalyst
Qatalyst is one of the most prominent investment boutique firms in the tech space.
The firm, headed by Frank Quattrone has advised large deals including the sale of National Semiconductor to HP for more than $6 Billion.
In fact, in the first quarter of 2011, Qatalyst is among the top 3, (including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley) in terms of total M&A deals size.
Why work for them?
If you are into M&A and technology, this boutique firm is for you.
Downside
It’s tough to enter since they only need around 40-50 analysts at a time.
7. Barclays
Barclays is one of the biggest banking firms that are located outside New York. It is based in London with over 130,000 employees globally.
Its reputation was hurt when it was alleged it was rigging the interbank rates in London. The issue resulted in a lot of job cuts internationally.
Why work for them?
Barclays is particularly keen when it comes to deals involving debt markets and other fixed securities markets.
Downside
There had been rumors that the investment banking division is being downsized.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://joinus.barclays.com/americas/full-time-opportunities/
8. Piper Jaffray
Piper Jaffray may not be popular right now, but it’s one of the oldest existing companies, with roots dating back in 1895 when it acted as a commercial paper brokerage firm.
The bank works on middle-market deals involving brokerage, investment management services, and research.
It has more than 30 offices worldwide.
Why work for them?
They can give employees good exposure to middle-market deals. This is one of the better banks in terms of working hours.
Downside
It has lower profitability than other investment banks because of the size of the deals they cover. Lower profitability causes concerns about company stability.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.piperjaffray.com/2col.aspx?id=494
Investment Banking Interview Questions Guide
9. Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (Credit Agricole CIB) is part of the Credit Agricole Group, which is present in 60 countries.
Credit Agricole CIB operates investment banking, private banking, brokerage, derivatives, fixed income, structured finance as well as commercial banking.
Why work for them?
They have a highly professional culture at work. If you want a touch of French culture, CIB is a good bank for you.
Downside
Not so much prestige can give to its employees’ CVs. Employees also report that it’s hard to move up the corporate ladder.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.groupecreditagricole.jobs/en/FAQ
10. Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey is highly regarded when it comes to restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings. In fact, they worked on the bankruptcy proceedings of Lehman Brothers, Enron, and WorldCom.
Houlihan also works in capital markets, corporate finance, financial advisory services, and illiquid financial assets.
Why work for them?
If you want to build a solid career in restructuring, Houlihan Lokey should be at the top of your list.
Downside
Expectations are high with its employees. If you want to apply for them, be sure that you have a high level of knowledge about the deals you might be assigned to.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.hl.com/us/yourcareer/recruiting.aspx
11. Greenhill & Co., Inc.
Greenhill & Co. is founded in 1996 by former Morgan Stanley president Smith Barney.
Though based in New York, the firm has a presence in other key cities like London, Sydney, Singapore, Frankfurt, and San Francisco.
This bank is one of the few big names that maintain independence by not being affiliated with any big banking groups. IT avoids providing services other than advisory on restructurings, M&As, and capital raisings.
Why work for them?
Since this is one of the more prestigious boutiques, employees are guaranteed added prestige to their resumes.
They also get the chance to work on an independent investment bank (Greenhill is not related to any other company).
Downside
There’s less back-office support than in other banks, thus, expect to do more responsibilities than you expect.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.greenhill.com/careers/associates
12. Societe Generale
Societe Generale was founded by one of France’s former emperors, Napoleon III, in 1864. Societe is one of the biggest bank players now in Europe, servicing financial services to 13 cities through a network of 2,500 employees.
Its investment banking arm is the Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking (Societe Generale CIB).
One of its recent awards includes “Overall Derivatives House of the Year 2016” by the International Financial Review.
Why work for them?
If you want a bank that’s largely based in the European region, you should consider Societe Generale.
Also, Societe Generale is one of the European banks that have an excellent reputation in Global Markets deals.
Downside
Societe Generale has a lesser global presence than the big banks found in New York and London. Consequently, it also has less prestige.
Guide to help you apply for them
13. Liontree
Liontree is most famous for advising Charter Communications’ acquisition of Time Warner Cable for $55B as well as on the $4 Billion acquisition of AOL by Verizon Communications.
They did all of these despite the small size of Liontreerelative to other banks.
Why work for them?
They have very few employment requirements every year, thus, entering is like going through a needle’s eye.
Downside
Some employees report the company has fewer training opportunities than their bank competitors.
14. Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse is one of the biggest banks in the world outside the USA and the UK. This Zurich-based group boasts over 40,000 employees in more than 50 countries.
Existing since 1856, the bank is one of the most experienced banks in the areas of advisory, investment research, investment banking, and debt markets.
Why work for them?
Credit Suisse is a prestigious bank that could give you a great experience and brand value.
Downside
Its downsides include long working long hours and some compensation issues.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.vault.com/internship_application/commercial-banking-and-financial-services/credit-suisse-diversity-internship-program/how-to-apply.aspx
15. BlackRock
BlackRock is one of the most prominent asset managers, with around $5 Trillion in managed funds.
Aside from investment banking, they are also into investment research, Analytics and risk, and financial technology.
Why work for them?
BlackRock’s Pay for Performance philosophy will ensure that you will be paid based on your performance above anything else.
BlackRock also features BlackRock’s Employee Stock Purchase Plans, which enables employees to purchase BlackRock’s stocks at a discounted price.
Downside
Decision-making could be slow at times because usually there are a lot of people involved.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.blackrockoncampus.com/
https://www.blackrockoncampus.com/intern-graduate-program/
https://targetjobs.co.uk/employer-hubs/blackrock/422146-blackrock-graduate-application-process-the-qualities-you-need-to-succeed
I hope you are enjoying reading about investment banks to work for.
16. Bank of America Merrill Lynch
This bank is actually the resulting company of the takeover made by Bank of America over Merrill Lynch after the world financial crisis of 2008.
Aside from investment banking, it offers card services and private banking to over 40 countries all over the world.
Why work for them?
Bank of America is a huge bank with a wide range of opportunities in global banking, liquidity management, global loan, research, quantitative management, and similar services.
Downside
Though it can provide you with a good push for an early career, you must consider that office politics can prevent you from going up the ladder or staying longer with the company.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://campus.bankofamerica.com/careers/Global-Investment-Banking-Summer-Analyst-Program-US.html
https://www.bofaml.com/en-us/content/global-corporate-investment-banking.html
https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Bank-of-America-Investment-Banking-Analyst-Interview-Questions-EI_IE8874.0,15_KO16,42.htm
17. UBS
Like Credit Suisse, UBS is a bank from Zurich, Switzerland. It has 60,000 employees worldwide, offering both investment and private banking services.
Why work for them?
UBS is very supportive of employees’ learning growth. Also, the bank culture is employee-friendly.
Downside
Bureaucracy makes it hard to go up the corporate ladder.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.ubs.com/global/en/about_ubs/careers/graduate-and-intern.html
https://www.ubs.com/global/en/about_ubs/careers/graduate-and-intern/deadlines-and-contacts.html
18. HSBC
This London-based bank is one of the oldest existing, founded in 1865. It now serves investment banking, card services, and foreign exchange services to over 50 million customers in 75 countries.
Why work for them?
Senior officers have open communication with juniors because of their open-door policy. HSBC also provides an excellent compensation package. It is the best investment bank to work for if you are looking to scale up.
Downside
Tasks are not usually easy, and it will take you long hours every day to get things done.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.hsbc.com/careers/students-and-graduates/programmes/global-banking-internship
https://www.hsbc.com/careers/students-and-graduates/programmes
19. Wells Fargo
Born in 1852, it is now among the five biggest banks in America after the merger with Wachovia in 2008.
The bank offers services in private banking, investment banking, consumer finance, agricultural and commercial finance, mortgages, wholesale banking, and insurance.
Why work for them?
They have a very supportive environment which includes very open bosses and lots of in-house training opportunities.
Downside
Some employees report racial discrimination in that management is mostly white.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.wellsfargo.com/about/careers/
https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Wells-Fargo-Investment-Banking-Analyst-Interview-Questions-EI_IE8876.0,11_KO12,38.htm
20. RBC Capital Markets
RBC Capital Markets is the investment banking arm of the Royal Bank of Canada.
RBC Capital has more than 6,000 employees in 15 countries. While its parent Royal Bank of Canada boasts more than $1B in assets, including 78,000 employees.
Why work for them?
It has global prestige, and you’ll face worthy responsibilities early on in your career.
Downside
Some employees report the bank being understaffed. Another issue is the politics inside the bank.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.rbccm.com/en/expertise.page
https://www.rbccm.com/en/careers/campus-recruiting.page
https://www.rbccm.com/en/careers/full-time.page
21. Jefferies & Company, Inc.
Jefferies & Company, Inc. is a 3,600 strong bank in New York which has 5 units: investment banking, research, wealth management, sales and trading, and wealth management.
It works on capital markets, equity-link and M&As. Award-winning research and strategy department.
Why work for them?
The company can provide you with high exposure to big M&A deals. You will also experience vast experience in interactions with clients.
Downside
It is not as well-known as big banks or some elite banks like Evercore or Centerview partners. Employees report the company lacking IT infrastructure.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.jefferies.com/Careers/Investment-Banking-Internship/2cr/827
https://www.jefferies.com/Careers/Careers/cnew/800
22. BNP Paribas
This award-winning French bank is one of the top 5 most prominent banks in the world. It was also regarded as one of the safest banks according to ‘The Banker’ magazine.
Its presence transcends Europe, as it is present in 83 countries represented by more than 180,000 employees.
Why work for them?
Employees give high ratings for this bank in areas of compensation, culture, and work-life balance. It is also regarded as a very stable bank by industry analysts.
Downside
Too many different IT systems may make your tasks difficult. Also, you have to learn a lot more about systems here than in other banks.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://earlycareers.bnpparibas.com/
23. Lazard
Lazard is the biggest advisory-focused investment bank in the world, with a presence in over 20 countries, with more than 2600 workers.
Most of its earnings come from asset management and financial advisory. The investment banking firm is well-known for consultations related to cross-border deals.
Why work for them?
Lazard is a prestigious bank; thus, working for it gives an excellent reputation to its employees. Since Lazard works on some of the biggest M&A deals, you can be assured of proper exposure to such transactions.
Downside
Communication between juniors and seniors is not that good.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.lazard.com/media/2514/london-graduate-recruitment-process-faqs-2016-final.pdf
https://www.lazard.com/careers/
24. Nomura Holdings
Nomura Holdings is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, Asian investment banks. It was founded in 1927, and since then had grown to 27,000 employees worldwide.
The company is famous for buying Lehman’s operations in European and the Middle Eastern for a measly nominal sum of $2.
Why work for them?
Good and approachable diverse culture.
Downside
Nomura’s appetite for risk is low; thus, deals being worked on are less varied than in other banks.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.nomuraholdings.com/services/wholesale/ib.html
https://www.nomura.com/asia/careers/
25. Allen & Company
Allen & Company is one of the most secretive among all banks. Allen & Company doesn’t even have a website or huge advertising efforts. It has even no formal recruitment policies or research divisions.
However, every year, it’s among the 25 most in terms of M&A advisory deals. It has almost ten decades of experience.
Why work for them?
The deals you will be exposed to are some of the biggest in the industry.
This makes it among the best investment banks to work for.
Downside
Not very culturally diverse, most of the employees are male.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-apply-for-an-entry-level-job-at-Allen-Company
https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-get-a-job-at-Allen-Company
https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Allen-and-Company-EI_IE5845.11,28.htm
26. Rothschild
Rothschild is a 2000+ strong investment bank that caters to equity advice deals, M&As, restructurings, private banking, and merchant banking. It is one of the biggest independent investment banks in the world.
Why work for them?
It is keen on the sell-side of M&A deals.
Downside
It primarily operates on European culture, so other cultures might feel out of place.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.rothschild.com/en/careers/students-and-graduates/programmes/
Top Two Big Bracket Investment Banks to Work for:
27. JP Morgan Chase
With more than $2 Trillion in assets and more than $200 Billion in equity, JP Morgan Chase is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious investment banks.
It has more than 250,000 employees in 60 countries.
Its services include investment banking, international banking, business finance, and private equity.
Why work for them?
Being a frontrunner among big banks, JP Morgan can give its employees lots of quality exposure to investment banking deals.
As such, it provides employees with great exit opportunities.
Downside
In general, work-life balance is hurt by long hours of work and work during weekends.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://careers.jpmorgan.com/careers/apply-students
https://careers.jpmorgan.com/global/en/professionals
28. Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley Top Investment Banking Employer
Morgan Stanley is a New York-headquartered bank with more than 50,000 employees worldwide. The bank deals mostly with restructuring, M&As, and private banking. It also provides custodial services for securities and is among the best in the investment banking industry.
Why work for them?
Co-employees are supportive, at the same time, among the best in the field. Employees can learn a lot through internal training and peer-to-peer training.
Downside
The bank seems to be focusing more on private banking, especially wealth management, than investment banking. Also, long hours of work should be expected.
Guide to help you apply for them
Top Two Boutique Banks to Work for:
29. Centerview Partners
Centerview Partners is an investment banking firm that focuses only on M&As and restructurings. It has offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palo Alto, and London.
Some of its deals include a $113B spin-off of Altria from Phillip Morris, a $79B merger of Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable, and a $58B merger of Heinz and Kraft.
Why work for them?
Even a boutique, Centerview partners provide one of the highest compensation packages in the industry.
Employees report a good working culture inside the firm.
Downside
It will be hard for you to maintain a work-life balance.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.centerviewpartners.com/careers.aspx
https://www.vault.com/internship_application/commercial-banking-and-financial-services/centerview-partners-summer-analyst-nyc/how-to-apply.aspx
https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Centerview-Partners-Interview-Questions-E278475.htm
30. Evercore Partners
Evercore Partners is a boutique firm with over 1,000 employees in 28 locations. Its services include restructurings, M&As, IPO advisory, research, and trading.
Some of its deals include the $67B acquisition of EMC by Dell and the $68B merger of The Dow Chemical Company and DuPont.
Why work for them?
They have one of the best compensation packages coupled with a very open culture.
Downside
Its policies on promotions are some of the strictest.
Guide to help you apply for them
https://www.evercore.com/careers
https://www.evercore.com/careers/Intern-Analyst-Associates
https://www.thebalance.com/evercore-partners-investment-banking-internship-program-1986391
Which of these Top Investment Banks would you like to work?
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I hope you found this article helpful in the list of top investment banks to work for.
