Investment bankers are key players in the finance ecosystem. They help businesses and individuals manage and grow financial assets, they streamline fund mobilisation, and they give expert financial advice. This blog covers the qualifications, skills and career routes for success in the competitive investment banking space.
Before we look at how to become an investment banker, we’ll explore exactly what an investment banker is and the types of responsibilities they have.
At Warwick Business School, we offer a range of courses, internship programmes and extracurricular activities that can help you excel in your career as an investment banker. Looking to take the next step? Reach out today to learn how we can support you.
An investment banker is a financial professional who helps individuals, firms, organisations and governments to raise funds via stock, bonds, capital funding or loans. They also help clients understand sophisticated financial transactions.
Investment bankers liaise between investors and private or public companies to break down market activities, financial transactions, portfolios, and stock and bond performance. A career in investment banking can be divided into two broad classes:
● Corporate finance and advisory, which covers mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital raising and strategic financial planning
● Market, which covers trading, sales and research (so that clients are informed enough to make prudent investment decisions).
Investment bankers utilise their understanding of the financial ecosystem to help their clients raise capital and actualise their business goals. Below are some of the things that investment bankers do:
● Valuing a company's worth
● Advising clients on investment opportunities, private equity transactions, and stock and bond management
● Conducting research, analysis and financial investigations
● Preparing financial documents and presentations.
● Managing initial public offerings (IPOs) and bond issuances
● Complying with legal and regulatory agencies.
● Setting initial stock prices to raise funds
● Helping companies with mergers, acquisitions, restructuring and other such deals.
Related investment banking courses at Warwick Business School
If investment banking seems like the ideal calling for you, Warwick Business School offers courses that can help you achieve your career dreams. Consider the following related courses:
The best route to becoming an investment banker is by completing an undergraduate degree. Most roles require a minimum of a 2.1 degree in finance, economics or a related field. It is a highly competitive market – therefore, your credentials can heavily impact your job prospects, especially with sought-after employers. Given the competitiveness, a postgraduate qualification such as a Master’s degree can greatly increase your chances of employment and spur your career growth.
Get an undergraduate degree
You may be wondering how to get into investment banking. If you’re aiming to get into it, gaining work experience through internships, summer programmes and spring week internships is the way to go. These forums place you ahead of the competition through offering industry-relevant skills and workplace experience.
They also create networking opportunities that can open doors to future work. Warwick Business School offers placement year courses, such as BSc Accounting & Finance with Placement Year and BSc Management with Placement Year. Past students from these courses have gone on to get placements at leading financial institutions such as Accenture, Deloitte, EY and Santander.
Alejandra Yanes, a fourth-year BSc International Management student, explains how doing an investment banking internship at Royal Bank of Canada in London benefitted her career prospects:
“I would definitely recommend an internship. It’s not only a fantastic opportunity to increase your knowledge and skills, but is also a way of networking with incredible professionals who can guide you in your career path. Altogether, the internship prepares you for life after graduation.”
Learn more about the benefits of studying finance at university in our guide: Why Study Finance at University?
Join a professional group or industry organisation
You do not need a specific licence to become an investment banker in the UK. You must, however, work for an FCA-regulated institution. Joining industry organisations such as the CFA Institute and Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment can bring you much-needed professional recognition, training opportunities and networking spaces.
Continue to study
Further education – such as a Master's course – is needed for senior roles in investment banking.
After 11 years working as an experienced corporate and investment banker, Bolaji Keem-Salami took part in our Full-time MBA, enabling her to learn from and build a global network of contacts that will benefit her career in entrepreneurship. Hear about her experiences:
“As an aspiring entrepreneur, I have built an incredible business support system with most of my colleagues hailing from China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore, all places that I intend to pitch future business deals in. Networking is a key to career success, and I wouldn’t have acquired these powerful networks without the enabling platform of the Warwick Full-time MBA.”
Numerical and data analysis skills
Proficiency with numerical and data analysis is indispensable in investment banking. The investment banker needs these skills to interpret financial results, forecast trends and accurately compute complex financial transactions. It is also advantageous to be adept at using Excel and financial software.
Analytical and critical thinking skills
Analytical and critical thinking are non-negotiable for an investment banker. They require these skills to capture key insights from large amounts of data and to resolve complicated financial problems for clients, while furnishing strategic solutions and advice.
Networking and interpersonal skills
Investment bankers come into daily contact with clients from diverse industries and backgrounds. In their dealings with these clients, they need networking and interpersonal skills. Courtesy of these soft skills, investment bankers can forge industry contacts, which can connect them to jobs in the future.
Communication skills
Communication and correspondence are also important soft skills required of investment bankers. Investment banking entails a lot of written and verbal communication to demystify complex financial information. Investment bankers use their communication skills to effectively draft reports, deliver presentations and negotiate with clients.
It is important for an investment banker to be able to articulate complicated ideas and technical matters so that their client can understand the financial options available to them, as well as the implications of those options.
Leadership and management skills
Investment bankers also benefit from good leadership and management capabilities. These skills are required to lead teams and execute projects, especially for bankers in the upper echelons. More seasoned investment bankers often lead negotiations, manage deal processes and supervise junior staff. Therefore, it is important to acquire these skills early to ensure continuous advancement in your career.
The various career paths available in investment banking typically follow this hierarchy: analyst > associate > vice president > director. Entry-level analysts usually start by supporting higher-level bankers with research and analysis before rising through the ranks.
Investment bankers may opt to specialise in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, market trading, etc., depending on their qualifications and career goals. Postgraduate students may find themselves especially qualified to advance into specialist roles.
Warwick Business School is one of Europe’s foremost business institutions. Through our award-winning undergraduate and Master’s courses, you access world-class teaching, as well as the skills and experience needed to unlock your full potential in a career in investment banking and finance.
We caught up with MSc Finance alum, Queen Latifa Lampo, as she details how her Master’s experience opened doors for her long-term career.
Alum Christina shares her journey throughout her Masters course at WBS, a year of building invaluable academic knowledge and diverse perspectives.
Current MSc Finance student Anar shares his advice on making the most of your Masters journey at Warwick Business School.
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