Investment bankers advise companies and governments on mergers, acquisitions, capital raises, and restructurings — the work involves financial modelling, pitch preparation, due diligence coordination, and managing transactions from first meeting to close. At analyst and associate level, you're building LBO models at 2am and updating comps the morning before a client presentation. At VP and MD level, the focus shifts to originating deals, managing client relationships, and leading junior teams. You'll work at a bulge-bracket bank (Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Barclays), a boutique advisory (Lazard, Rothschild, Moelis), or an in-house corporate development team.
Oliver Westbrook
Vice President — M&A
📍 London, UK✉️ oliver.westbrook@email.com
Summary
VP-level Investment Banker with 6 years of experience in M&A advisory across technology and financial services sectors. Advised on £8B+ of completed transactions including cross-border acquisitions and IPOs. CFA charterholder.
Work Experience
Vice President — Technology M&A at Goldman SachsJan 2022 — Present
Lead execution on 4–6 live M&A mandates simultaneously with aggregate deal value of £3.2B
Advised FTSE 250 technology company on £1.8B acquisition, managing due diligence workstreams and negotiations
Analyst / Associate — M&A at LazardJul 2018 — Jan 2022
Executed 12 completed M&A transactions with aggregate value of £4.8B across financial services and fintech
Built comprehensive valuation analyses (DCF, trading comps, precedent transactions) for client pitches
Investment Banking CVs are intensely transaction-focused. Recruiters want to see deal experience: number of transactions, aggregate value, your specific role on each deal, and the outcome.
Key Skills to Include
M&A execution, financial modelling (DCF, LBO, comps), due diligence, client management, pitch book preparation, CFA/ACA, and Bloomberg Terminal.
Common Mistakes
Not quantifying your deal experience. Industry convention is to list your transactions in a Deal Sheet addendum showing role, value, and status.
Formatting Tips
One page plus optional Deal Sheet. Use a conservative template with no colour. Education and firm names matter enormously in banking. Lead with your most impressive deal.
Average Salary — Investment Banker
United States
$120,000 – $200,000
United Kingdom
$85,000 – $150,000
Germany
$80,000 – $140,000
UAE / Dubai
$90,000 – $160,000
Canada
$90,000 – $155,000
Australia
$90,000 – $155,000
Figures in USD. Ranges reflect mid-level experience (3–7 years). Senior roles and major metro areas typically sit at the top of these bands.
Top 5 Interview Questions — Investment Banker
1Walk me through a DCF model. What are the key inputs and where does judgment come in?
Cover revenue projections, EBITDA margin assumptions, D&A, capex, changes in working capital, terminal value (Gordon Growth vs. exit multiple), WACC components, and equity bridge. Show where you'd debate assumptions — a rote answer isn't enough at a real bank.
2How would you value a company with negative EBITDA and no meaningful revenue yet?
Talk through EV/Revenue multiples, precedent transactions in the sector, DCF on a probability-weighted scenario, and comparable listed company multiples. This tests whether you understand valuation as judgment under uncertainty, not just formula application.
3Tell me about a deal or transaction you've worked on. What was your specific contribution?
Be precise about your role — the model you built, the analysis you ran, the diligence you coordinated. Don't talk about "we" throughout; interviewers want to understand your contribution specifically. Mention the deal size and outcome if you can.
4A CEO of a client company calls you and says they've received an unsolicited approach. What do you do?
Walk through advising on whether to engage, analysing the offer versus standalone value, considering defensive options, contacting other potential bidders to run a process, and managing board communication. Show process and confidentiality awareness.
5What sector do you follow most closely and what's an interesting M&A theme in it right now?
Pick a sector you genuinely follow. Name two or three specific companies, a current strategic dynamic (consolidation, PE interest, regulatory pressure), and why it creates M&A activity. Generic answers about "tech" without specifics suggest you're bluffing.
How to Tailor Your CV
Bulge-bracket banks (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley) screen CVs for target school credentials, internship pedigree, and a clean one-page format — your GPA, university name, and any previous banking experience go at the very top. Elite boutiques (Lazard, Evercore, Rothschild) care more about deal exposure and quality of work — name the transactions you worked on and the deal values. Private equity-backed corporates hiring for in-house M&A want banking experience plus sector knowledge and operational awareness that goes beyond pure advisory. List every software tool you know (Bloomberg, Capital IQ, FactSet, Argus, Datasite) and your modelling proficiency level. For analyst and associate CVs, GPA and university are genuinely used as screening filters — include them clearly.