Associate

Roles an Associate may undertake in Investment Banking:

Project Management: An Associate is the lynchpin of a project team whether in client coverage, origination or execution of transactions. The Associate is responsible for everything from the smallest detail in a financial model built by an Analyst, to participating in assessing the highest level strategic implications being recommended to a client in conjunction with senior colleagues. An Associate will manage a project tri-dimensionally by: 1) directing and monitoring work done by Analysts, 2) discussing with seniors internally on prioritizing and optimizing tasks and analysis, and 3) interfacing with clients and other advisers either during meetings to ensure that we deliver correct and valuable advice and materials to clients in an efficient and timely manner or participating in delivering an idea and advice to clients.

Valuation Analysis: An Associate is responsible for the accuracy of the figures calculated by an Analyst in the financial model, valuation and other technical analyses. This can be as rigorous and demanding a task for the Associate as for the Analyst when coupled with the added burden of shouldering responsibility for accuracy.

Client Meetings: Associates are often invited to attend client meetings by their senior colleagues. You will have excellent exposure, make contacts and build working relationships with clients. You also have the opportunity to observe senior bankers deliver advice and presentations to clients, and chances to hone your own client communication and relationship skills. In some cases, you will be asked to lead a client meeting, where appropriate particularly in transaction processes. Although initially daunting, the experiences with clients will be both educationally and professionally rewarding.

Analyst Training & Mentoring: Associates are an essential part of training Analysts. While it is in the personal interest of an Associate to help train Analysts, you may in the process develop personal and friendly relationships that can take the form of a mentoring role too. Analysts will ask you questions they don't feel comfortable asking others, and you'll find the professional relationship personally rewarding. It is a pleasing reminder of how much you have learnt in a short period of time.

Multitude of Projects: As an Associate becomes more efficient with his work, the opportunity to take on more deals is offered. An efficient Associate generally will be able to take ownership of more projects than an Analyst, as many of the more time consuming tasks are delegated. With more experience from more deals, the Associate becomes prepared for more senior roles and helps to provide more seasoned advice to clients on future transactions.