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Tag: investment banking certification

What is Reference Data in Investment Banking?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

What is Reference Data?

A counterparty is a collection of entities in the financial sector to which some risk is associated while security is a financial asset/product/instrument that can be traded. When counterparty and security are traded, then some identifiers are used to describe them, these identifiers are called reference data. The reference data is a fixed standard governed by regulatory authorities and doesn’t change much over time.

Some of the identifiers associated with different equity assets are SEDOL, CUSIP, ISIN, CINs, etc. Besides including the description of equity assets, reference data at its most complex stage can define the name of the buyer, seller name, costs involved, etc. Market identifier code (ISO 10383 MIC) which defines the stock market associated with any trade also comes under reference data. Let us see the information provided by reference data and its management.

Information provided by Reference Data

Reference data helps us in knowing different aspects of a trade. The key information provided by the reference data are:

  • Reference data helps us in identifying the type of financial product/asset. It also tells us about the maturity date of the financial asset.
  • Reference data gives us information regarding the parties, financial institutions, counterparties, etc. involved in any particular trade.
  • The pricing of any particular financial asset/product can also be identified by the reference data.

Reference Data in Investment Banking

Reference data sets a standard for trading & other financial activities. Investment banker Courses need reference data that can provide them insights about their holdings on any financial instrument/asset. Reference data provides better visibility and insights about different aspects of a trade/investment. The benefits of using reference data in investment banking are:

  • With better information about the trade and parties involved, you can identify risks associated with the trade/investment and can manage it.
  • It helps in cost optimization as you can categorize similar types of deals/trades with similar reference data and can standardize associated trade processes.
  • Capital resources can be allocated accordingly if investment bankers have access to reference data.
  • Data analytics can be improved as reference data will set a standard to find relationships among the data sets.
  • You can identify the trade processes involved with any particular type of asset and with the information about its reference data one can automate key trade processes.
  • Investment bankers can assist their clients easily if they have access to reference data i.e. complete information about the trade.

Why reference data should be managed?

Reference data is heavily involved in different business processes like analysis, compliance, control, etc. and its mismanagement can hamper your business processes. Investment bankers have to manage reference data to maintain quality in their investment processes and to optimize costs successfully. Reference data helps generate results to financial queries of clients quickly.

Investment bankers know the trading process of many financial assets and when each asset is defined by a set of identifiers, they can quickly identify an investment opportunity or trade. Managing reference data can also help in better data analytics and you can automate business processes. Customer requests can be quickly responded to if reference data is properly managed. The investment banking sector is hiring individuals with good knowledge about reference data and its management to improve their business.

Conclusion

Reference data gives you information about the trade structure and type. One can learn more about reference data in investment banking by taking up an online investment banking course from a reliable source like Imarticus Learning. The understanding of reference data is very necessary if you are aspiring to become an investment banker. Start your investment banking course now!

What are the Qualifications Required to Become Investment Bankers?

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A hot-shot career, a high-profile job with an equally attractive pay-check, investment banking happens to be among the most sought-after careers for college and MBA students in finance and business, alike. The job of an investment banker, as glamourous as it may sound, entails great responsibilities and challenges combined with abundant learning, along with the promises of a fancy Swiss vacation it brings with itself! However, before you set foot in that door, do you have what it takes to be hired by topnotch investment banking firms?

Investment bankers come from a wide range of backgrounds but your strength must lie in mathematics; a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance as well as physics or computer science also helps. However, simply holding a degree alone cannot do much wonders to your career in investment banking. Here are some of the qualifications that will help you take a step in the direction of pursuing investment banking as a career:

● A degree in finance preferably from any of the top-tier B schools- Big names like IIM- A/B/C or ISB have a good impact on the recruiter. In fact, global companies visit these campuses to recruit young professionals directly for internships or even at entry-level trainee investment banker jobs.
● CFA qualification- A Chartered Financial Analyst is a highly esteemed investment banking course and has a global accreditation in around 150 countries around the world. It helps in portfolio management as well as equity research.
● Knowledge in financial modelling- It is advisable to pair your post graduate or PG-diploma programme with financial modelling. Not only does it give you an additional edge as compared to other students or young professionals but also, amps up your overall knowledge in the field of business from an investment banker’s perspective. Additionally, knowing how to chart financial models on spreadsheets in definitely going to have a positive impact on the recruiter.
● An investment banking internship- A hands-on experience will definitely stand out on your resume while you are looking for opportunities to start your investment banking career. By taking on multiple, or at least one internship while in college, you not only gain exposure to the multi-faceted industry but also be able to decide which aspect of investment banking actually draws you the most.
● Developed knowledge on the segmented financial industry- As you move up the ladder, from an educational background to the onset of your career, a clear understanding of how the financial industry works will benefit you in multiple ways. Read up on emerging trends in the finance sector, research on highs and lows of the industry and keep-up-to-date by reading more trade journals that are likely to keep you informed about past and present market patterns.
● Have a solid resume or cover letter- Use the right phrases and sentences to present your accomplishments and goals in the right manner to the recruiter. Your resume and/or cover letter should be aesthetically pleasing as well, highlight the most important areas of your qualifications or experience.
● Relevant case experience- This is probably something that no investment banking course will teach you. Case experience means having worked on an assignment that would be relevant or in along the same lines of your banking job. The recruiter may actually test your practical knowledge to see if you are a fit candidate for the job or not.
● Participation in extracurricular activities- A campus club membership, some experience in a leadership position in college or anything that adds value to your personal portfolio often adds value to the job you are applying for, as well as adds to your recruiter’s interest. This may also include taking up online courses, running student organisations or even reading for pleasure.
Last but not the least, getting recruited by investment bankers also depends on your networking skills ad that final round of interview. Be confident, use the correct jargon to questions asked, and do not shy away from admitting what you do not know yet. Let’s face it, a little ignorance but a lot of honesty and integrity might actually land you that dream job in your dream investment banking firm. With the aforementioned qualifications and these tips, you are sure to find an opportunity thats been waiting for you, right around the corner.

Also Read: Career & Scope in Investment Banking

India’s Top Boutique Investment Banks And What They Are Looking For In New Hires.

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Boutique investment banks are an evolution of investment banking based on the demand for a bouquet of services mainly by smaller enterprises and startups. Since the investment ceiling in this group is not tiny and extends to Rs 200Cr, many investment firms and banks find it an excellent opportunity to customize their services to cater to such clients. Firms like JP Morgan, JM Financial, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs were quick to jump on to the bandwagon. In India, currently, a large number of opportunities have been thrown open by European firms like Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse and Lehman Brothers outsourcing their requirements of investment banking.

What are Boutique Investment Banks?
The top-heavy banks with the highly paid large payouts and boards look at markets above the 100Cr Rs mark and charge a commission that could vary from 0.5 percent to about 2 percent of the deal values neglecting the markets below 100Cr as their demands seem exorbitant here.
A boutique services investment firm concentrates on the 10 to 100Cr segment offering them services like bank debt, fund-raising, private equity, advising on acquisitions, dealing with mergers, managing IPOs and customizing on services in between, while offering them the personalization of the large banks with better services thrown in.
Among the Indian firms who are worth watching and joining for a lucrative top-notch career are Veda Corp, Ripple Wave, MAPE, Cogence Advisors, Equirius Capital, and P2P who are giving the big banks a run for their money in the boutique banking sector. These firms are typically staffed by less than a hundred employees and offer great opportunities in the IB sector both in terms of payouts and career progression.
The job role:
To understand what these companies look for in the new hires, let us try to look at what exactly happens in an average investment banker’s workday. The task-list of an investment banker includes advising and pitching financial instruments to clients, helping with investment and funding decisions, and providing financial data to clear customer decisions.
The fun part lies in creating financial reports, reporting trends, making client presentations, garnering foresight, researching case studies and more. Client facing tasks like issuances and debt-portfolio management is challenging and exciting.
The career progression:
Doing an IB course reiterates that investment banking is about setting and selling the right expectations. You will probably progress up the ladder quickly, enjoy high bonuses and payouts linked to the deal values, and would need every bit of the best financial training and skills to handle the stress and heat that will last through work hours like 100 to 180 hours a week being considered part of the job.
The usual hierarchy of job roles is as given below –

  • Undergraduates spend up to 2 to 3 years as an FA learning on the job.
  • The graduates joining as IB Associates depending on their specialization or those with actual work experience and classroom.
    training spend about 3-4 years learning and practicing their role.
  • VP- Investment Banking based on performances and value-adds to the organization being the next progressive step.
  • Director-IB, which is a management and decision-making high strategy role.
  • CFO, MD and such who anchor and are at the helm of the management team.

The essential traits required:
Investment banking calls for requisite skills in analytical, quantitative and commercial awareness coupled with the banker using his/her persona, discipline, and financial integrity while remaining calm and stress-free through a punishing day. Many of the finance, law and economics graduates who do a skill-building investment banking course at Imarticus Learning benefit from a comprehensive curriculum and excellent soft-skills training by being placed as Associates directly under their assured placement programs.
Remember that according to Payscale chart below, the investment banker’s payouts are among the best.
Any employer would also want people with these attributes.

  • Certifications are worth their weight in terms of measurable skills.
  • Proficiency in Excel techniques, PowerPoint presentations, an excellent foundation in accounting and finance and the MS Office and Word suites.
  • Counting as an effective team member.
  • Being an effective organizer.
  • Being always in the learning mode.
  • Excellent skills in financial modeling.

Concluding notes:

The total payouts in investment banking are proportional to your skills, hard work, and basic training. Your performance and bonuses will depend on your work. Join the investment banking course at Imarticus Learning to hone your financial suite of skills and take advantage of their soft skills modules. A measurable global certification which endorses your practical skills is highly sought after as real-life experience and preferred by many employers.
Wishing you all success in your career! For more information in brief and for further career counseling, you can also search for – Imarticus Learning and can drop your query by filling up a simple form or can contact us through the Live Chat Support system or can even visit one of our training centers based in – Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Banglore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Ahmedabad.

How Much Do Investment Bankers Earn in India?

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Do you know the average salary of an Investment Banker in India is from 12 lakhs to 13 lakhs, according to Glassdoor? The investment banking sector is growing at a 1.2% CAGR for 2018 to 2023. It is expected to reach a value of $78,008.7 million by 2023.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for financial services sales reps is estimated to rise by 4% by 2029. This data is combined with attractive salary packages and a secure career. This positions investment banking as one of the most profitable and in-demand career choices.

In this article, we have revealed the salary of an Investment Banker in India. We have also covered the factors that influence it and the Investment banker’s salary in the US.

Investment Banker

What does an investment banker do?

Investment bankers act as a bridge or intermediary between investors looking for investment opportunities and organisations looking for funding. The duties of investment bankers are divided into two categories: assessing a company’s financial situation and assisting it in meeting its financial goals. Investment bankers are responsible for analysing a company’s financial situation and capital requirements to offer a viable plan for meeting its financial goals.

Investment banker’s salary in India

The pay ranges from 3 lakhs to 1 crore depending on the skills, roles, designation, experience, job location, company, etc. But, the starting salary of an investment banker is better than many other professions, with initial pay of Rs.7-8 LPA. That’s why experienced investment bankers or  Investment Banking Analysts can rise to higher positions fast. This is because their salaries rise quicker, and they earn higher paychecks.

Designation-wise salaries of an investment banker in India

Salary of an Investment Banking Analyst

This is the role assigned to people who’ve just graduated from business schools. Their tasks mainly include research and analysis of investment banking methods. A fresher with this designation would earn around Rs. 5 LPA on average. Also, an experienced candidate can earn Rs.6-7 lakhs.

Package of an Investment Banking Associate

This role is an upgrade from the role of a Banking Analyst. The duties involve the analysis of business strategies. They act as an intermediate between junior analysts and senior officials. The average salary for this role lies between Rs. 7 lakhs to Rs.10 lakhs.

Pay of a Business Analyst

This role is similar to the role of an Investment Banking Analyst. However, the difference here is that the focus shifts to business strategies such as profit optimisation and asset management. For this profile, a candidate would earn between Rs.6 lakhs and Rs.7 lakhs.

Remuneration of a Financial Manager

Being a high-profile role, financial managers mainly oversee a company’s financial health. They audit financial reports, analyse investment activities, and work out long-term financial goals for the company. Also, they use tools to analyse the data. A financial manager in India would earn around Rs. 10 lakhs on average.

Compensation of a Financial Director

The role of the Financial Director is a senior one, as they are leaders of senior executive teams. And their primary responsibility is to frame financial policies. They also make the proper process to meet a company’s business requirements. In addition, they oversee operational and strategic ongoing at the company. So, a Finance Director can have a starting salary of around Rs. 20 lakhs. With an experience of 4-5 years, one can earn anywhere between Rs.45 lakhs and Rs. 50lakhs.

Factors affecting Investment banker salary in India

In India, the average investment banker’s salary is significantly higher. But, to determine the exact pay, you must understand the factors that influence the salary of an investment banker.

The below-mentioned factors affect the salary of an investment banker.

Skills

An investment banker’s most essential skills are financial analysis and modelling expertise. Along with this, the knowledge of mergers and acquisitions plays a critical role too. The ability to work independently is also an essential skill to succeed in the investment banking field.

An understanding of deal structuring and closing principles is essential. Having excellent communication and networking abilities play a vital role. In addition, the ability to conduct research, be quantitative and analytical and explain market events.

Location

Few cities have a higher demand for investment bankers, causing average pay to vary significantly. But, depending on the cost of living, some cities pay comparatively less. Surprisingly, Mumbai (84% higher than average), Pune, and New Delhi pay 4% higher than average. So, these cities are the best locations to work as investment bankers. But, some places offer lower salaries to investment bankers, like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

Work Experience

More experience results in more gain in the field of investment banking. The average salary of one to four years of an experienced investment banker is Rs. 9 lakhs annually. However, bankers with five to nine years of experience earn around Rs. 20 lakh per annum. With an experience of around ten years, professionals can earn approximately Rs 30 lakh per year.

Companies

Some banks and companies are paymasters, while others pay less. So, investment bankers prefer firms such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. Other liked banks are Barclays and J.P. Morgan. Investment bankers are generally paid well by most firms. However, you should not focus only on the package. The profile and work are deciding factors in rejecting or selecting a company.

Investment banker salary in the US

The United States pays well to investment bankers. It consistently ranks first in terms of compensation for its investment professionals. Furthermore, cities such as New York reward their professionals besides the salary. It offers valuable and lucrative benefits.

How to start your journey as an Investment Banker?

Before entering any sector, gathering knowledge about the industry, scope, career growth, and job opportunities are always good multitool. The second step is to equip yourself with the knowledge and skill set to become an investment banker. For this, you should get enroled in an institute and learn investment banking concepts.

An institute that offers excellent knowledge, expert faculty and an industry-oriented curriculum will be lucrative. But, if they provide career assistance and interview preparation, that will be the cherry on the cake So, try to find an institute that offers all these and then invest your money. 

Apart from this, having a good network also plays a significant role in getting you to start your career as an Investment Banker. For that, you can do an internship with top companies and work hard. Moreover, during the internship, you can learn industry concepts and how to behave professionally.

Conclusion

In conclusion, careers in investment banking training usually offer good salaries. However, they are exclusively bagged by candidates with the best academic backgrounds.

Hence, candidates must work hard. They should try to graduate from a top educational institute. Also, they must know how to reap the benefits of their effort. And, plan a financial career properly to take up the role of an analyst.

How Is Investment Banking Distinguished From Commercial Banking?

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Investment banks help corporations, companies, and governments raise capital, assist in mergers and acquisitions, and provide ancillary services such as derivatives trading, foreign exchange, equity securities, and making markets. They act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers of stock as well. Investment banking training is extensive with the aim of having an in-depth knowledge of financial markets and concepts.

Commercial banks, or retail banks, on the other hand, are set up to deal with commercial transactions like legally taking money from individuals and corporations in the form of accounts and then lending the capital to others with interest.

Any investment banking course providing investment banking certifications will explain that an investment banker deals with companies as a financial intermediary and provides investment and financial advisory services. A commercial or retail bank provides banking services to the general public. Since a commercial bank works with the public, their customer base is much larger than that of investment banks who only works with companies.

One of the key differences between these two types of banking industries lies in the relationship and services offered by both. A commercial bank will only provide standardized services while an investment bank will personalize their services and give customer specific advice. Commercial banks are highly regulated by the government and Reserve Bank, making them more risk averse while investment banks have a higher tolerance for risk since they have lesser regulations. This makes the rewards for investment banking higher. Conversely, the losses in investment banking can be much more substantial.

The role of an investment bank is to identify companies that will benefit from their services and then make presentation to them. For example, with Amazon looking to increase its footprint across sectors, an investment bank can identify other, smaller companies who already have existing inroads in that sector, and pitch to Amazon to try to acquire the smaller company. This was seen with Amazon buying Whole Foods.

Another way investment banks work is by identifying companies that require extra capital investment in order to increase their growth. While these companies might be considering traditional commercial banks for a loan, they might be deterred by the high-interest rates. An investment banker can pitch different ideas, mainly the creation of equity or releasing bonds, to the company. The investment bank is also responsible for drawing up the legal documents for such processes. They make money by charging a commission or a fee. Sometimes, they might even buy some bonds or stock in the company.

A commercial bank provides services that are associated with traditional banking systems for individuals. They will help you procure a loan against interest with collateral or help you open and create various accounts such as RD, FD, current deposits, savings accounts, and more. These services are already pre-defined and do not change from person to person.

There are many banks that proved both forms of banking. For example, it is not uncommon to see banks help a company set up and sell an IPO and then use the commercial side to provide a line of credit to the company. This will ensure that the company enjoys quick financial growth and in turn, increase its stock prices.

Anti-Money Laundering: What Is It And Why It Matters?

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Did you know that global money-laundering transactions are estimated to be worth $1-2 trillion? 

Money laundering is one of the biggest issues plaguing the global economy. Companies all across the world look for ways to counter this problem. Money laundering hurts the capital market and makes it difficult for organizations to thrive.

Hence, organizations rely on investment banking professionals to protect the capital market. In the following sections, we will cover the issue of money laundering in detail and learn how companies use anti-money laundering (AML) procedures to counter this issue.

You will also find out how you can become a part of the solution by enrolling in Investment banking courses in India.

MBA online CoursesWhat is Money Laundering?

Money laundering is a significant financial crime. It refers to the process of legalizing money that has been obtained illegally. It focuses on hiding the nature, source, and act of a crime to give it a legal image.

Some of the illegal activities that utilize money laundering are terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. Governments and companies all over the world strive to combat this issue as it damages the economy and society as a whole.

What is Anti-money Laundering?

Anti-money laundering refers to the provisions and procedures companies use to prevent money laundering in their organization. One of the most popular AML procedures is KYC (know your customer).

In this procedure, a company requires its customer to verify their details such as an address, name, and ID. This way, the company can mitigate suspicious transactions. And, if a customer performs one, it can track him/her quickly.

There are many AML procedures and they help a lot in combating the issue of money laundering. However, industries require professionals that are well-acquainted with the advanced AML procedures.

How you can get involved?

Money laundering is a big issue and one of the best ways to combat this problem is by learning the necessary compliance and skills.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in finance, then you should take a course that covers anti-money laundering provisions and procedures properly. This way, you would be well-equipped to combat this problem at the organization you work in.

The best way to go about this process is to join investment banking courses in India. Most reputable investment banking courses in India cover AML procedures along with the basics of investment banking.

Before joining a course, be sure to check its crucial details such as the investment banking course fees, duration, and modules. After completing investment banking courses in India, you can apply for high-paying roles in the finance sector and help organizations in protecting and growing the capital market.

AML implementations help companies in mitigating money laundering activities. However, they require the expertise of skilled professionals to do so.

You can become a part of the AML solution by enrolling in relevant investment banking courses. If you are interested, then check out Imarticus’ Certified Investment Banking Operations Professional (CIBOP) program to get the right direction.

Does Corporate Finance Excite You? Here Are Some Investment Banking Courses Which Will Help You Achieve Your Goals

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Be it the high-pay or the extravagant lifestyle of investment bankers, graduates have largely started to gravitate towards investment banking. If you are attracted to this job profile or interested in this field, then you may want to select an investment banking course that is right for you.

Investment banker courses have now been tailored for both graduates and postgraduates to enhance their knowledge and make them a good fit for the banking sector. 

Eligibility to Become an Investment Banker

Before applying for an Investment banker course, you need to evaluate whether you have the essential qualifications to apply for the same. Investment banking courses online usually look for –

  1. Graduates and postgraduates (degree in finance, mathematics, engineering, analytics, accounting, and economics is preferred)
  2. MBAs
  3. Chartered Accountants
  4. Working professionals in the field
  5. Financial Risk Managers or Chartered Financial Analysts

Investment Banking Courses

Investment banking courses in India will boost your financial aptitude and give you a good knowledge of the market you’re about to work in. Here are some of the best investment banking courses online that you can choose from to boost your expertise in the field –

  • Certificate in Investment Banking Operations from with LSE (London Stock Exchange Group)

This course will give you an in-depth knowledge of investment banking and its complexities. It is one of the investment banking courses with placement on the market. Plus, it comes with a CIBOP certificate which makes it one of the best investment banking courses in India. 

PGDM Capital Marketing

This program will be good for you if you are looking for a shorter investment banking course duration. Plus, another upside is that it takes on any graduate from a recognized university and inculcates the knowledge of an investment banker in them.

  • Post Graduate Program in Financial Management

This program is a prestigious course offered by the Chennai Business School. It offers knowledge of various subjects relating to the field such as corporate laws, financial statement analysis, financial modeling, and business intelligence. The course in itself is good but the investment banking course fees for this program are pretty hefty.

  • MBA in Masters in Financial Management

It is a part-time banking course after graduation which will give you in-depth topics like financial accounting, business management, cost management, managerial economics, financial management, research methodology, taxation, business law, and financial planning. The investment banking course fees are not much, but it is spread across a timeline of three years.

  • PGDM (BM) Finance

It is a course approved by the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). This program is also recognised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). It will give you enhanced knowledge on the subjects of finance, tax and business. The course covers topics like commercial banking, insurance, wealth management, export finance and credit management.

  • Masters In Financial Management (MFM)

It is a two-year course accredited by the NBA (National Board of Accreditation). It takes on any graduate with a three-year degree recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). Topics like accounting, tax and financial markets are deeply taught in this course.

  • PG Diploma in Finance Management

This certificate in investment banking course details is not much as it has a one-year duration course with only two semesters, which makes it one of the shortest courses in the field. It gives you a good understanding of the financial market and enhances your present knowledge.

Completing investment banking courses after graduation can make your job as an investment banker more exciting and challenging for you. You don’t need to look for investment banking courses with placement. You just need to look for an investment banking course duration that suits you. If you complete any of the investment banker courses, the right job will come looking for you. 

What Do Investment Bankers do All Day?

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Conventionally, investment bankers are responsible for interacting with clients, creating offers, handling financial forecasts, and managing sales books or pitch books created by the organization to aid reach new clientele.

The intensifying need for exceptional communication skills is what makes investment bankers different from financial analysts and accountants. Myriads of business students can receive investment banking certification and perform the technical responsibilities of investment banking associates, yet some possess the skill of assisting senior staff and clientele.

Morning Hours

The morning time is the most stable and is usually burdened with office meetings and administrative emails. Replying to loads of messages further adds to the stability of investment bankers’ day.

Thankfully, a majority of working days begin rather late for investment bankers, partially because the US capital markets open after 7 in the morning, and also because a majority of bankers work late at night. As such, investment bankers have enough time to get ready and have a healthy breakfast before heading to the workplace. As most of the investment-banking jobs are situated in densely populated cosmopolitan cities, investment bankers need to make ample time for the commute.

Work during morning hours is often relatively sluggish and more organized versus that during the evening. From the beginning until lunchtime, analysts and associates handle firms’ assessments and make changes as per the senior staff.

During off days, the junior bankers might take time for leisure and break and even browse further investment banking certification courses but they cannot use social media platforms as most investment banks create firewalls for such distracting websites.

Afternoon Hours

If the day is not much demanding, lunchtime can typically stretch to 45 minutes or an hour at a nearby eatery or building’s cafeteria. Breaks normally occur somewhere between 12 pm – 2 pm and are generally spent with colleagues with similar designation level.

There should be updated presentations and models from respective analysts by the time investment bankers get back to their desks. Now, they have to go through these documents and suggest corrections before handing them back to the analysts.

Work during afternoon hours highly focused on active deals. Investment banking teams are provided one deal at a time, which is the live deal, and senior staff is critical about crossing and dotting every appropriate letter. Merger and acquisition (M&A) and initial public offerings (IPO) deals consist of transacting millions or billions of currencies, thus, firms cannot think of committing small errors.

Evening Hours

The latter half of the working day is split into two categories: before and after dinner. Investment bankers mostly have their dinner at the workplace around 7-8 pm. Work before is more organized and anticipated; analysts expect that associates accomplish their tasks by early evening so that they can review them again.

On a usual day, the initial after-dinner job is to review the morning’s work. Senior bankers and analysts dedicate the past few hours checking material stuff and creating remarks, which, at times, involve significant revamps to the sales book.

Investment bankers collaborate with many different professionals including, sales staff or equity research. Nevertheless, the evening hours are majorly spent with desktop publishing (DTP) division.
The revision-comment-correction process can recur twice or thrice before the night ends. Investment bankers have to contemplate thoroughly and work at a rapid pace to make sure the documents are edited accurately and on time.

Most of the banks offer car services for their employees to take them to their homes in the early morning hours. While senior investment bankers can leave the office at 10 pm, their junior counterparts usually go home around 1 am-3 am.

What is Certificate in Investment Banking?

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

Understanding Investment Banking

Investment Banking and the buzz around the role of an investment banker is very mainstream. If you are in any way connected to the financial services industry or aspiring for a career in the finance industry you must know about this jackpot career option. The reason why I used the term jackpot is that is how it appears to be from the outside.

So what exactly is Investment Banking and what does a day into the life of an investment banker looks like, is what all aspiring enthusiasts are excited about. Investment banking is a highly specialized field in the financial services industry that deals with the creation of capital for big corporate houses and other entities including government bodies.

Investment banks help companies to source for funds and also advice on the capital structure that’ll be best suitable for the firm according to the requirements of the company. It helps to underwrite debt or equity securities to raise capital. In addition to this investment banks also helps to mediate and facilitate mergers and acquisitions deals for the company by finding firms with high synergies based on their complex research and data analysis.

Investment banks also help individuals with high net-worth to manage their finances and help them park their fund into profitable investments, it also guides people on complex financial securities like the alternative investments and private equity by assessing the risk appetite of the individuals and their return requirements based on their investment.

A day into the life of an investment banker is filled with a lot of research and client sourcing for the company and guiding people on their personal investment plans.

Certificate in Investment Banking

For those of you who understood the ‘What’ of Investment banking and are still sure they want to pursue their career in the field, lets come to the ‘How’ of the same. So, how to start out when you are aspiring to be an investment banker? What exactly should be your plan to pursue your dreams of earning the jackpot title?

The best course of action is to gain professional specialization in the fields with courses specifically catering to the needs of building a career in the Investment Banking Industry. One of the best ways is to get a certification for Investment banking. The main focus is on imparting knowledge related to subjects such as Investment Banking Basics, Financial Statement Analysis, Asset Class Valuations, Corporate Finance, Asset restructuring, etc.

The certified in Investment banking certification is developed as a comprehensive global certification exam. The main emphasis of this certification is to develop and assess the candidate’s skills related to the investment banking field.

The certificate program in investment banking is framed to provide the candidate with expert knowledge about the subject matter to become successful in the field. The high perks and rewards naturally make the role more lucrative and in turn competitive, so a certification makes you stand out from the competition by upholding credibility.

This certificate program examines the candidate on his/her competency to build an organized and systematic approach to finding the valuations for listed and unlisted organizations within the context of deals like Mergers and acquisitions, Initial Public Offering (IPOs), Leveraged Buy-Outs (LBOs), and other investment-related decisions.

The majority of analysts, both aspiring and experienced, concluded that investing is an amalgamation of facts, models, mathematics, and analysis. The investment banking certification exam assimilates a multifaceted body of investment banking knowledge holistically packaging all these skills.

Conclusion
The certificate in Investment Banking provides a holistic development approach to building your career in the field and builds your competency.

How will Investment Banking Change in 20 Years or So in the Future

Posted on by Imarticus Learning

How will Investment Banking Change in 20 Years or So in the Future

Technological advancement has brought about a massive transformation in the capital market and banking sector. The banking segment is largely dependent on crucial business requirements including a company’s total capital, the involvement of investors and company acquisitions or mergers. Globally acclaimed banks exist mostly due to fundamental requirements to keep the economy up and running; investments bankers here play their due role by using their networks or connections to make these financial transactions happen. Investment banking is a business that involves high-stakes, higher costs, and an even higher chance of profiting business; however, bankers often have to spend years building the right kind of relationships with companies, investors, buyers, and sellers, something that is not taught as a skill in an investment banking course.

The gradual transition in the traditional process

Investment banking is going through a metamorphosis of its own, with innovations in technology causing major changes. Some of the transformations expected to affect investment banking in the near future are as follows:

Technological disruption– If technology is going to take an industry by storm, that is investment banking. Currently, the industry comprises interpersonal relationships, specific markets that focus only on private partnerships between companies, and businesses involving financial products. Newer models will evolve to sustain in a more technologically sustainable market; advancements in virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and the eruption of big data will take investment banking by storm. While digital platforms are fairly involved in day-to-day processes including trading in the capital markets, multiple trading platforms need to be brought together and this is where technology is going to break the barriers of traditional investment banking.

Taking a more client-centric approach- Investment banks, for a more futuristic approach, will have to focus on investment in products that cater to providing their clients with a 360-degree solution. While banks themselves need to make decisions regarding prioritizing clients, the overall bank-client coordination needs to improve at the organisational level itself. While coordination between client servicing teams with other departments will need to improve, models that bring together, employee coordination, client coordination, financial transactions and products need to be implemented.

Improvement in business models- Most companies work according to their own cultures and processes built by their employees; these processes are mostly functional for their markets and clientele base. While individual companies deal with their problems in their own ways, an overall solution for tacking emergencies must evolve on a gradual basis. With evolving markets, companies barely see the need to raise capital in public markets. Companies like these majorly prefer to stay private to lower overall technology costs and to also control other capital sources, high-reporting, and regulatory costs. Publicly listed companies have consistently decreased over the past couple of years, and globally acclaimed companies have found methods to raise capital without relying on traditional investment banking techniques. Other companies, small or big, need to eventually come up with similar non-traditional investment banking models to keep up with the future.
Overall transformation of the investment banking sector- Technology that is outdated, serves barely any purpose along with proving to be expensive in general. Increasing prices, risk management factors, and business management tactics have made banking a commodity that is proving to be extremely costly. Capital markets need better regulation, leverage needs to be lowered and products need to be made more marginally viable; all of which require a complete transformation for investment banks to future-proof themselves and prepare for the days to come.

Asset management disruption- One of the most profitable financial services in today’s day is asset management, for companies, HNWIs, and other clients. The new set of investment regulations has however limited asset management mostly to globally acclaimed institutions. On a more smaller scale, an app that helps investors or HNWIs understand the market and then consider investing would be a good way for other investment banks to attract a new set of audiences or users and draw leverage to their expertise in conducting research.

The way forward
Restructuring the functioning of investment banks needs immediate attention. While technological disruptions, security and regulatory issues stand in the way of a bright future of investment banking, over the next couple of years banks need to focus on how they can play their strengths to their advantage and yet offer services on a more specialised level. While basic investment banking courses will teach most of it, future-oriented skills pave the pay to a brighter career in this field.

Also Read: Introduction to Investment Banking