A Day In The Life Of An M&A Investment Banking Associate At Houlihan Lokey
A day for an investment banking analyst at Houlihan Lokey is described as having "no two days the same," filled with constant client interaction, internal collaboration, and long hours. The interviewee details a sample day juggling client calls, pitch deck revisions, due diligence reviews, and countless emails, illustrating the fast-paced and demanding nature of the role.
Financial Modeling, Client Communication, Teamwork, Fast-Paced Environment, Deadlines
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
David Crosson
M&A Investment Banking Associate
Houlihan Lokey
Yale University
MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Economics
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The fast-paced and demanding nature of investment banking is highlighted by the analyst's jam-packed schedule, which includes numerous calls, meetings, and tasks throughout the day.
2. The collaborative aspect of the job is evident through the analyst's interactions with clients, VPs, and team members, emphasizing teamwork and communication skills.
3. The analyst's responsibilities demonstrate the analytical and problem-solving skills required for this role, as they review documents, incorporate feedback, and develop presentations, which are essential for success in investment banking.
Transcript
What does a day in the life of an investment banking analyst look like?
No two days are the same. You have a lot of different things coming at you, and banking days are notoriously long. A day could quite literally look like this.
You get in at 9:00 AM and have a call with client A to discuss the presentation you sent them last night. Then at 9:30, you're meeting with your VP to talk through comments for a different pitch deck he's working on.
At 10:00, you have a little time to respond to emails from everyone else who sent you messages last night. At 10:30, you're leading a meeting with client B and their potential buyer X to talk about diligence things.
At 11:00, you have a bit of free time. You can finally start incorporating the feedback you got earlier from the VP and send them a deck for their thoughts. It's 12:00.
You grab lunch, probably back at your desk, so you can look through documents you need to review later in the day while you eat and cool down a bit. At 1:00, you're leading another workshop, this time with client C, to develop the management presentation. They'll give you some thoughts you'll work on.
Later, at 2:00, you finally hear back from client B. They sent files, but you don't have time to look at them because you're working with your teammates to build out a buyer's list for client D.
At 2:30, you call the CFO of a client to confirm that the financials you received actually reflect properly in the presentation materials you're developing. At 3:00 PM, you have a little more downtime.
You get to finally incorporate all the feedback you received from client A earlier that morning and resend them the deck with the new feedback incorporated. It's 5:00.
You just got an email from your VP, but you don't have time to address it yet. You want to get a few more emails out the door. At 6:00, you go to grab dinner, maybe 30 minutes for a workout down the street.
You come back in and start reviewing the diligence you received earlier from that client from 7:00 to 9:00. Finally, at 9:00, you look at the feedback you got from that VP, incorporate it into the final deck, and send him a copy before going home.
Wake up the next morning, and you'll probably receive more feedback, which you'll turn around.