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Investment Banking CV Example

An investment banking CV should showcase your deal experience, financial modelling expertise, and ability to advise clients on capital markets, M&A, and strategic transactions.

Recommended template: ElegantPro

Key Skills to Include

M&A AdvisoryEquity & Debt Capital MarketsFinancial Modelling (DCF, LBO, Comps)Pitch Book PreparationClient Relationship ManagementDue Diligence CoordinationMarket ResearchBloomberg / FactSet

Quick Tips

  • List notable deal experience including transaction type, sector, and deal value.
  • Highlight your technical skills in building complex financial models.
  • Include your target school credentials and any CFA or relevant certifications.
  • Demonstrate your ability to manage multiple workstreams under tight deadlines.

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How to Write Your Investment Banking CV

An investment banking CV must be concise, achievement-focused, and technically credible. Hiring managers at banks and advisory firms expect to see clear deal experience, strong modelling skills, and evidence of the ability to perform under pressure. At analyst and associate levels, technical proficiency and work ethic are paramount; at VP level and above, client origination and team leadership become equally important. Your CV should reflect the demands and expectations of this highly competitive profession.

CV Structure

Use a clean, reverse-chronological one-page format for analyst and early associate roles; two pages for VP and above. Lead with your profile and education, followed by work experience and a skills or deal list section. For each role, describe the firm, coverage group, and transaction types. Bullet points should be concise and focused on impact. Consider a supplementary deal list if you have extensive transaction experience.

CV Format

Use a conservative, text-focused template with minimal design elements. Investment banking CVs should be polished but understated. Use a standard font, consistent formatting, and precise language. Every word should earn its place — eliminate filler and focus on specifics. Save as PDF to ensure formatting consistency.

CV Profile Examples

Investment Banking Associate

CFA Level III candidate with four years of investment banking experience advising mid-market and large-cap clients on M&A, equity capital markets, and restructuring transactions. Skilled in building complex financial models including DCF, LBO, and accretion/dilution analyses, and preparing compelling pitch materials for senior client presentations. Contributed to completed transactions with aggregate deal values exceeding £2.5 billion.

Investment Banking VP

Commercially astute investment banking vice president with eight years of experience in M&A advisory and capital markets across industrials, consumer, and financial services sectors. Proven ability to originate mandates, manage live deal execution, and mentor junior team members. Track record of building trusted client relationships that generate repeat advisory engagements and fee income growth.

Investment Banking Analyst

High-performing investment banking analyst with two years of experience at a bulge bracket firm, specialising in technology sector M&A and equity capital markets transactions. Proficient in DCF, comparable company, and precedent transaction analysis with strong attention to detail and the ability to work effectively under demanding deadlines. Seeking an associate role offering increased client exposure and execution responsibility.

State your experience level, coverage group or sector focus, and qualification status in two to three sentences. Mention aggregate deal values and the types of transactions you have executed. Keep it concise — investment banking profiles should be shorter than those in other finance disciplines.

Key Skills for Your Investment Banking CV

M&A Advisory

Advising corporate and private equity clients on buy-side and sell-side mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Equity & Debt Capital Markets

Supporting IPOs, secondary offerings, and debt issuances through financial analysis, documentation, and investor engagement.

Financial Modelling (DCF, LBO, Comps)

Building sophisticated valuation and transaction models to support deal pricing, structuring, and negotiation.

Pitch Book Preparation

Creating persuasive client-facing materials that articulate strategic rationale, market positioning, and valuation perspectives.

Client Relationship Management

Building and maintaining senior-level client relationships that generate advisory mandates and recurring engagement.

Due Diligence Coordination

Managing cross-functional due diligence workstreams to ensure comprehensive assessment of transaction risks and opportunities.

Market Research

Conducting industry and competitive analysis to inform deal strategy, target identification, and market positioning.

Bloomberg / FactSet

Using financial data platforms for market analysis, comparable company screening, and real-time transaction monitoring.

Work Experience Examples

For each role, state the firm, division, and coverage group. Describe the types of transactions worked on, your specific responsibilities, and your most notable deal contributions. Include deal values, sectors, and outcomes. At senior levels, emphasise origination, client management, and team leadership alongside technical execution.

Investment Banking Associate

Rothschild & Co

Executed M&A advisory and strategic review mandates for clients across industrials and business services sectors, supporting transactions with enterprise values ranging from £50M to £800M.

Responsibilities

  • Led financial modelling and valuation workstreams for sell-side, buy-side, and fairness opinion engagements.
  • Managed due diligence processes, coordinating with legal, tax, and commercial advisors across multiple simultaneous transactions.
  • Prepared and reviewed pitch books, information memoranda, and board presentations for senior partner delivery.
  • Supervised and mentored two analysts, reviewing their modelling output and supporting their professional development.
  • Maintained ongoing client relationships, providing market intelligence and strategic advice between mandated engagements.

Achievements

  • Led the financial analysis supporting a £420M cross-border acquisition in the industrials sector, resulting in successful completion and partner commendation.
  • Originated a new advisory mandate worth £180,000 in fees through proactive relationship development with a mid-market PE firm.
  • Developed a sector-specific LBO model template adopted by the team, reducing model build time by approximately 35%.

Investment Banking Analyst

J.P. Morgan

Provided analytical support across M&A and equity capital markets transactions within the technology, media, and telecommunications coverage group.

Responsibilities

  • Built detailed financial models including DCFs, LBOs, and merger analyses for live transaction and pitch purposes.
  • Prepared pitch books and marketing materials for prospective client meetings and industry conferences.
  • Conducted industry research and comparable transaction analysis to support valuation and strategic positioning.
  • Managed virtual data rooms and coordinated due diligence information requests during active sell-side processes.

Achievements

  • Contributed modelling and analysis to three completed transactions with combined deal values exceeding £1.1 billion.
  • Received the annual analyst excellence award for consistently delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines during peak deal season.

Education & Qualifications

List your degree institution, subject, and classification. Include CFA progress if applicable. For analyst roles, include A-level results or equivalent if they are strong. Note any academic prizes, scholarships, or relevant extracurricular leadership positions.

CFA (Level I–III)

Chartered Financial Analyst programme demonstrating analytical rigour and investment expertise valued in banking.

ACA / ACCA

Chartered accountancy qualification providing technical financial knowledge applicable to transaction advisory.

MSc Finance / MBA

Postgraduate qualification in finance or business demonstrating advanced analytical and strategic capability.

Financial Modelling Certification

Specialist training validating proficiency in building and auditing transaction-grade financial models.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I format an investment banking CV?
Use a clean, one-page format for analyst and early associate levels. Use conservative formatting with a standard font, consistent bullet points, and clear section headings. Avoid graphics, colours, or creative layouts. Every bullet point should be specific and quantified where possible. Investment banking CVs should be polished, concise, and easy to scan in under thirty seconds.
How do I list deal experience on my CV?
Include deal details within your work experience or in a separate deal list section. For each notable transaction, mention the client sector, transaction type, deal value, and your specific role. For confidentiality, anonymise client names if necessary. Focus on two to four representative deals per role rather than listing every engagement you touched.
How important is university prestige for investment banking?
University reputation carries significant weight in investment banking recruitment, particularly for analyst programmes. However, experienced candidates are judged primarily on deal experience and technical skills. If you attended a target school, it should be prominent. If not, ensure your experience, qualifications, and modelling skills compensate. After three to four years of experience, deal track record matters more than academic pedigree.
Should I include extracurricular activities on an investment banking CV?
For analyst and early associate roles, relevant extracurriculars can add value — investment societies, financial modelling competitions, or leadership positions demonstrate initiative. Keep them brief and results-oriented. For mid-career professionals, extracurriculars should be omitted unless they are genuinely distinctive or relevant, such as board advisory roles or industry body involvement.

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