Career Path Options for Prospective Investment Bankers

Jan 2022

If you are seeking an opportunity in a fast-paced environment where you can learn a wide variety of skills and advise clients on mergers and acquisitions as well as raising debt and equity, investment banking might be right for you. Investment banking careers can be demanding, but also provide the opportunity to collaborate and engage with executives early in your career. Additionally, if you possess an entrepreneurial spirit, you will be able to better problem-solve for clients alongside your colleagues.

When starting as an analyst or associate, there are many career growth opportunities available. Depending on your interests, there are also several paths you can follow within one, or more, of the many services offered by an investment bank. At a high level, some of the qualities of successful bankers within each offering include:

Summary

Mergers & Acquisitions

M&A bankers provide sell-side advisory services to founders, entrepreneurs and institutional investors, such as private equity firms, to obtain maximum value from their clients’ investments. They also provide buy-side advisory services where they help clients identify investments that align with their strategies and drive growth. M&A bankers advise on mergers where they leverage relationships and industry expertise to bring complementary organizations together.

M&A typically requires creative thinkers and problem solvers in order to present clients with thoughtful, bespoke services. M&A bankers tend to be innovative, optimistic and personable. They enjoy brainstorming for clients across a spectrum of industries and present them with unique ideas for their businesses. They are also highly agile and adept at working through unforeseen circumstances.

Capital Advisory

Capital advisory bankers work on a variety of capital raising assignments and advise clients on how to best fund their businesses given their unique circumstances. That can include raising debt capital from investors to help fund acquisitions, refinance existing debt and fund one-time dividends or securing minority capital or growth equity to support a variety of growth initiatives.

Due to the nature of transactions being worked on, capital advisory bankers’ work tends to be more technical and analytical as in-depth financial modeling is typically required. Additionally, bankers who focus on debt capital tend to emphasize stability, predictability and down-side protection of businesses when executing their engagements given the mindset of the debt investors with whom they interact.

Private Funds Advisory

Bankers on the private funds advisory team support private equity firms and other investment professionals’ growth objectives by creating tailored private capital solutions and assisting with capital raising. These personalized and dynamic solutions stretch across all aspects of fundraising—namely, single asset investment vehicles, primary funds, coinvest vehicles and structured/continuation vehicles.

Private funds advisory bankers require deep industry and domain expertise to deliver highly customized solutions to their clients. They should have an entrepreneurial spirit, be forward thinking and imaginative in their approach. However, the most important skill to develop is the ability to build relationships. Strong connections will ensure the desired outcome is achieved for clients.

Special Situations & Restructuring

Areas of engagement for restructuring and special situations focused investment bankers include financial restructuring and Chapter 11 advisory services, liability management, distressed M&A, creditor advisory services and capital raising.

Due to the complex nature of supporting businesses and their stakeholders during challenging financial situations, these bankers are often strong-willed with savvy negotiating skills and steady, even-keeled demeanors. Those interested in the legal aspects of deal making may enjoy this type of work, as it oftentimes requires substantial interaction with legal advisors and in-depth analysis and negotiation of legal documents.

Valuations & Opinions

Responsibilities of investment bankers focused on valuations include portfolio valuations to increase compliance and transparency, business valuations that are steeped in practical market knowledge and transaction opinions that offer objective financial advice to multiple types of stakeholders.

These bankers are some of the most technically-oriented in an investment bank and are commonly trained in accounting and/or are former auditors as they require the skills and experience to accurately conduct portfolio valuations, business valuations and transaction opinions.

Joint Ventures & Partnering (JV&P)

JV&P bankers help clients identify the right partner and establish the right structure to allow clients to successfully execute their combined business strategies—from the onset of a partnership to the potential dissolution of a joint venture between two businesses.

JV&P bankers possess a hybrid of M&A and valuations skills. They enjoy problem solving, brainstorming with clients and recommending actionable solutions to complex challenges that have arisen.

At Lincoln International, employees at every level are empowered to lead. Analysts and associates are not only preparing written materials that describe investment opportunities, creating financial models and conducting industry research, but they are also given the opportunity to interact with clients early in their tenure. They work alongside colleagues who are highly collegial, collaborative and supportive with a strong commitment to trust and integrity. By elevating junior employees at Lincoln, each individual is able to develop hard and soft skills as well as relationships that will be instrumental to their long-term success.

To learn more about careers at Lincoln and current open positions, visit www.lincolninternational.com/careers.

Meet Our Senior Team

I invest in personal relationships with my clients and bring energy, creativity, leadership, a little bit of humor and confidence to every interaction.

Bradley Akason

Managing Director

Chicago

Balasubramanian Smitha
I view working with clients as a partnership that is collaborative, insightful and transparent and deliver with the highest level of service, attention and execution.

Smitha Balasubramanian

Managing Director

Chicago

Nick Baldwin
I enjoy navigating complex scenarios in real time to provide independent and trustworthy valuation advice.

Nick Baldwin

Managing Director

London

I provide professionalism, proactiveness and reliability in supporting my clients to help them achieve their strategic objectives.

Gianluca Banfi

Managing Director

Milan

Coaching highly motivated, gifted and dedicated individuals to provide exceptional outcomes for our clients and contribute to the growth and success of Lincoln International is what drives me each day.

Robert Barr

Managing Director | GP-Director

Chicago

Griffin Bealle
My approach to advisory begins with honesty — my commitment to clients is that they will always get a complete and frank assessment of their circumstances, as well as objective recommendations tailored to their needs.

Griffin Bealle

Managing Director

New York

I am a rigorous advocate for my clients with a hands-on, communicative approach, focused on delivering intense advocacy and outlier results.

Sean Bennis

Managing Director

Chicago

Andreas Bienert
Providing truly independent advice on M&A transactions and developing long-standing client relationships is what I enjoy and value the most when helping my clients to achieve their M&A goals.

Andreas Bienert

Managing Director

Frankfurt

Friedrich Bieselt
I am enthusiastic about creating sustainable growth and the highest value for our clients and strive to leave a positive footprint beyond any successful M&A transaction.

Friedrich Bieselt

Managing Director

Frankfurt

I enjoy leading clients and realizing their objectives, while structuring solutions to issues that are both intriguing and challenging.

Øyvind Bjordal

Managing Director | Head of Switzerland

Zurich

Blonn Tim
As a former lender, my intimate knowledge of the underwriting process is an invaluable asset in marketing, negotiating and documenting debt transactions for my clients, resulting in outlier financing solutions that exceed expectations.

Tim Blonn

Managing Director

Chicago

Bolander Fredrik
Combining market intelligence and ideation of creative solutions, with the nuances of hands-on deal making, inspires my work and allows me to develop close client relationships.

Fredrik Bolander

Managing Director | Head of Nordics

Stockholm

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