INVESTMENT BANKING TRAINING
WHAT IS INVESTMENT BANKING?
Investment banks assist individuals, corporations, and governments in raising capital for their clients. They offer a variety of services, such as issuing securities, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), leveraged buyouts (LBO), sales & trading (S&T), divestitures, capital raising , asset management and much more. The skills require to succeed in Investment Banking are financial modeling, accounting, math, technical ability and the ability to value corporations.
There are 3 main types of investment banks; Bulge Bracket banks, Mid-Market (regional) and boutique investment banks. The larger banks typically are full service investment banks offering more services, with the smaller investment banks typically focusing on M&A, fundraising and restructuring. Boutique level investment banks can range from a single individual to large corporations.
There are 2 main types of investment activity in investment banks; the “Buy Side” and the “Sell Side”. The sell side typically is represented by investment banks, large financial institutions, and corporate finance departments, and are offering products, securities and investment services for sale. This is why they’re called the “sell side’, they’re offering or selling something.
The Buy side usually represents investors in the transaction and can often be pension funds, asset management firms, private equity firms, venture capitalists, life insurance companies, mutual funds or hedge funds. They are the firms making the investments and are on the risk taking side of financial transactions. Buy-side firms determine worthiness of an investment and if the investment is a good fit into the fund’s investment strategy. The will then base their recommendations on this evidence. This is why they’re called “buy side”, they determine the worthiness of a particular investment and decide whether to buy it.
SKILLS REQUIRED TO WORK IN INVESTMENT BANKING
First, Investment Banking is hard work. Especially at the Analyst level, the hours can be very long and the work extremely challenging. However, the work can also be very interesting and can provide large financial rewards. The skills needed to succeed in Investment Banking are financial modeling, accounting, math, technical ability and the ability to value corporations. You can obtain these skills in our comprehensive corporate valuation and financial modeling course. People skills and attention to detail are also required.
HOW CAN THE IFI TRAINING COURSE HELP ME IN MY CAREER IN INVESTMENT BANKING?
IFI’s participants leave our investment banking training program with the fundamental technical skill they’ll need to succeed in an Investment Banking position. Our graduates have the fundamental understanding of financial modeling, corporate valuation, balance sheet analysis and other technical skills needed to jumpstart their careers or take them to the next level. The International Finance Institute employs seasoned investment bankers dedicated to delivering the knowledge to ensure success in a number of different career paths in finance and Investment banking.