Investment banking associates in corporate finance serve the sellers of securities, either for Fortune 1000 companies that are looking to raise cash to fund growth or for private companies that are looking to go public.
Corporate finance bankers are financial consultants to corporations, advising companies on how to finance their operations, structure their balance sheets, and sell or acquire a portion of the company. Activities can range from providing pure financial advice to implementing the sale of a new stock or equity issue. As a result, industry or product knowledge is key, and many investment banks divide the corporate finance department into specialty sub-groups such as energy, high tech, oil and gas, pulp and paper, and telecommunications.
The corporate finance group will do any and all of the following:
- Underwrite equity offerings—buy shares for sale from the corporation or government entity and then sell them on the market to investors
- Underwrite fixed income (debt/bond) offerings
- Help firms analyze their financial needs
- Help firms devise and implement financial strategies, such as what foreign currency exposure to have and when and how to proceed with funding initiatives
- Determine valuations for offerings
Typical Concentration(s)
Primary: Finance
Optional Double Concentration: Accounting (or) Law and Business
Companies that Recruit Vanderbilt MBAs
- Banc of America Securities
- BB&T Capital Markets
- Bear Stearns
- Citigroup
- Deutsche Bank
- JP Morgan
- Merrill Lynch
- UBS
- Wachovia Securities
Owen Extras
Clubs, activities, events, and programs to help build your résumé:
- Max Adler Student Investment Fund
- Vanderbilt MBA Finance Club
- TVA Investment Challenge
- Vanderbilt MBA Hedge Fund
- Investment Banking Academy
- FBR
- Training the Street
- Investment Banking Boot Camp
- Financial Markets Research Center
- Finance Symposium
Investment Banking Key Competencies
Do you have or can you build the following competencies as an MBA?
- Stamina
- Confidence
- Energy/initiative/drive
- Curiosity
- Leadership
- Flexibility
- Unflappability
- Focus and maturity
- Attention to detail
- Familiarity with capital markets
- Familiarity with financial transactions and financial products
- Strong quantitative skills
- Knowledge of accounting
- Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills
- Project management skills
- Ability to multitask
- Team skills
Does your résumé reflect these experiences or accomplishments?
- History of achievement
- High GMAT
- Business/financial analysis experience
- Financial markets or valuation experience
- Engineering
- CPA/CFA
- Financial services industry experience (former analyst)
- Military experience
