Investment banking pertains to certain activities of a financial services company or a corporate division that consist in advisory-based financial transactions on behalf of individuals, corporations, and governments. Traditionally associated with corporate finance, such a bank might assist in raising financial capital by underwriting or acting as the client's agent in the issuance of debt or equity securities. An investment bank may also assist companies involved in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and provide ancillary services such as market making, trading of derivatives and equity securities, FICC services or research. Most investment banks maintain prime brokerage and asset management departments in conjunction with their investment research businesses. As an industry, it is broken up into the Bulge Bracket, Middle Market, and boutique market.
The ING Group is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam. Its primary businesses are retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, wholesale banking, private banking, asset management, and insurance services. With total assets of US$967.8 billion, it is one of the biggest banks in the world, and consistently ranks among the top 30 largest banks globally.
The Bank of America Corporation is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, with investment banking and auxiliary headquarters in Manhattan. The bank was founded in San Francisco, California. It is the second-largest banking institution in the United States, after JPMorgan Chase, and the second-largest bank in the world by market capitalization. Bank of America is one of the Big Four banking institutions of the United States. It serves approximately 10.73% of all American bank deposits, in direct competition with JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo. Its primary financial services revolve around commercial banking, wealth management, and investment banking.
CIBC Capital Markets is the investment banking subsidiary of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. The firm operates as an investment bank both in Canadian and global equity and debt capital markets. The firm provides a variety of financial services including equity and debt capital market products, mergers and acquisitions, global markets, merchant banking, and other investment banking advisory services.
Sallie L. Krawcheck is the former head of Bank of America's Global Wealth and Investment Management division and is currently the CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, a digital financial advisor for women launched in 2016. She has been called "the most powerful woman on Wall Street."
John Alexander Thain is an American financial executive and investment banker. He served as president and co-COO of Goldman Sachs, and then CEO of the New York Stock Exchange. Thain then became the last chairman and CEO of Merrill Lynch & Co. before its merger with Bank of America. He was designated to become president of global banking, securities, and wealth management at the newly combined company, but resigned on January 22, 2009. Ken Lewis, CEO of Bank of America, reportedly forced Thain to step down after several controversies, such as the losses at Merrill Lynch which proved to be far larger than previously estimated, and the award of huge executive bonuses. Thain then served as chairman and CEO of the CIT Group. He is currently a board member of Uber, appointed by former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick on September 29, 2017.
BMO Bank, N.A. is an American national bank that is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is the U.S. subsidiary of the Toronto-based multinational investment bank and financial services company Bank of Montreal, which owns it through the holding company BMO Financial Corporation. In September 2023, it was the 8th largest bank in the United States by total assets.
Banc of America Securities LLC (BAS), was the investment banking subsidiary of Bank of America until it was merged with Merrill Lynch after that firm's acquisition in 2008 to become Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Headquartered in New York City, the company competed in both the domestic and international equity and investment banking markets.
Jefferies Group LLC is an American multinational independent investment bank and financial services company that is headquartered in New York City. The firm provides clients with capital markets and financial advisory services, institutional brokerage, securities research, and asset management. This includes mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, and other financial advisory services. The Capital Markets segment also includes its securities trading and investment banking activities.
Evercore Inc., formerly known as Evercore Partners, is a global independent investment banking advisory firm founded in 1995 by Roger Altman, David Offensend, and Austin Beutner. The firm has advised on over $4.7 trillion of merger, acquisition, and restructuring transactions since its founding. Evercore is widely considered one of the most prestigious and elite investment banking advisory firms.
Nelson Joosuk Chai is an American investment banker and financial executive. He formerly served as the chief financial officer of American financial services company Merrill Lynch and briefly as Bank of America's president for the Asia-Pacific region. He is the former president of CIT Group and reported directly to then CEO John Thain. On August 21, 2018, it was announced that Chai has been hired as the chief financial officer of Uber.
Robert (Bob) Wigley, OStJ, BSc, HonDBA, FCA, CCMI, is Chairman of UK Finance, a Non Executive Director of R3 LLC and Lightico Ltd, an Executive Member of Seraphim Space Enterprise LLP and is an investor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is author of a book about the effects of technology on Gen Z, Born Digital: The Story of a Distracted generation. He is a non-executive director of the Qatar Financial Centre and chairman of its audit committee. He was a Founding Global Britain Commissioner during its life, is a member of the Trade Advisory Group for Financial Services at the Department for International Trade and a member of the UK's Economic Crime Strategic Board at the Home Office, co-chaired by the Home Secretary and Chancellor.
Ridgemont Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused on making investments in middle-market companies in the U.S. within certain industries such as basic industrial, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, media and technology. The firm focuses on equity investments up to US$250 million.
Kenneth D. Lewis is the former CEO, president, and chairman of Bank of America, the second largest bank in the United States and twelfth largest by total assets in the world. While CEO of Bank of America, Lewis was noted for purchasing Countrywide Financial and Merrill Lynch, resulting in large losses for the bank and necessitating financial assistance from the federal government. On September 30, 2009, Bank of America confirmed that Lewis would be retiring by the end of the year. Lewis was replaced by Brian Moynihan as president and CEO and Walter Massey as chairman of the board.
Brian Thomas Moynihan is an American lawyer, investment banker, businessman who is the chairman and CEO of Bank of America. He joined the board of directors, following his promotion to president and CEO in 2010.
Fares Noujaim is a Lebanese-American banker who joined Guggenheim Partners in September 2014. Previously, Noujaim was Executive Vice Chairman of Global Corporate & Investment Banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Sergio Pietro Ermotti is a Swiss manager and investment banker. In April 2021, Ermotti was elected Chairman of Swiss Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, succeeding Walter Kielholz. He was the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UBS Group AG from November 2011 to October 2020 and regained that position in 2023. Board member of Institute of International Finance.
Merrill, previously branded Merrill Lynch, is an American investment management and wealth management division of Bank of America. Along with BofA Securities, the investment banking arm, both firms engage in prime brokerage and broker-dealer activities. The firm is headquartered in New York City, and once occupied the entire 34 stories of 250 Vesey Street, part of the Brookfield Place complex in Manhattan. Merrill employs over 14,000 financial advisors and manages $2.8 trillion in client assets. The company also operates Merrill Edge, a division for investment and related services, including call center counsultancy.
Merrill Edge is an electronic trading platform and investment advisory service that provides self-directed and guided investment options for individuals and businesses. It is a subsidiary of Bank of America and was launched in 2010 after the merger between Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. Merrill Edge offers a wide range of investment products, including stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), margin lending, mutual funds, and options.
Andrea Orcel is Group CEO of UniCredit. He previously served as the president of UBS Investment Bank from November 2014 to September 2018. He was poised to take on the role of Chief Executive of Banco Santander from September 2018 to January 2019; however, the job offer was later withdrawn which resulted in him taking legal action against Santander. In December 2021 a judge awarded him €68m in compensation, including €10m for moral damages. Since early 2020, Orcel has been linked to taking over as CEO at a variety of financial institutions including starting his own boutique investment bank, before taking the role of Group CEO at UniCredit.
