ER at an LO AM or at BB AM?

posting for a friend who doesnt have wso- they have an internship offer for equity research at an asset manager (think fidelity/wellington) as well as an internship offer for the asset management arm of a BB (jpm/gs/etc). both roles are in london
the long only pays better, but they are wondering if the BB is better for brand name/a long term career since they want to go into am or l/s equities in the future. 

5 Comments
 

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here's the breakdown:

  1. Long-Only Asset Manager (Fidelity/Wellington):

    • Pros: These firms are highly respected in the asset management world, especially for long-only equity strategies. They provide deep exposure to fundamental research, portfolio management, and long-term investing. If your friend is set on a career in AM or L/S equities, this is a direct and relevant path.
    • Cons: While prestigious in the AM space, the brand name might not carry the same weight outside of the industry compared to a BB.
  2. Bulge Bracket Asset Management Arm (JPM/GS):

    • Pros: The BB name carries significant prestige across all finance sectors, which can be advantageous if your friend decides to pivot to other areas like IB, PE, or even hedge funds. Additionally, BBs often provide broader exposure to different asset classes and strategies.
    • Cons: The AM arm of a BB might not offer the same depth of focus on equities as a dedicated LO AM. It could also be more sales-oriented depending on the team.

Key Considerations:

  • Career Goals: If your friend is committed to AM or L/S equities, the LO AM internship aligns more directly with their long-term aspirations. These firms are known for producing top-tier equity analysts and portfolio managers.
  • Brand Name: While BBs have a stronger overall brand, within the AM and L/S equities space, Fidelity/Wellington are equally, if not more, respected.
  • Compensation: The higher pay at the LO AM is a bonus, but it shouldn't be the sole deciding factor.

Recommendation:

If your friend is confident about pursuing a career in AM or L/S equities, the Long-Only Asset Manager internship is the better choice. It offers specialized experience, a strong reputation in the field, and a direct path to their desired career. However, if they value optionality or are unsure about their long-term goals, the BB AM internship provides broader brand recognition and flexibility.

Sources: Breaking into long only Asset Management, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/qa-md-in-ma-and-capital-markets-with-bulge-bracket-and-boutique-experience?customgpt=1, Has Anyone Worked at Both a BB and EB?, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/eb-vs-bb-long-term-and-exits?customgpt=1, BB Asset Management Arms and Asset Management Firms: how do the experiences differ?

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 
Most Helpful

I don’t work in the field, so take this with a grain of salt, but it seems to me like if your friend wants to go into any public markets investing role (LO or L/S), he should go for the Fidelity/Wellington type offer, as this will carry a lot more weight in that field than most any bank AM role. If he wants to go into a different field, or is at least not 100% set on public markets investing, the bank may be better due to the more generally recognized brand name and the connections across a wider range of functions (e.g. he might be able to land a role in a different field at the same bank). ER is the only field that seems like a toss up between the two, as he could lateral within the bank, but also the LO brand name would probably be valuable.

Also, “Asset Management” is a bit of a catch all term: besides LO roles, it can also refer to, for instance, asset allocation roles (think FoF) - I’ve been assuming the bank AM is LO research.

 

TheFunkyMunky

I don’t work in the field, so take this with a grain of salt, but it seems to me like if your friend wants to go into any public markets investing role (LO or L/S), he should go for the Fidelity/Wellington type offer, as this will carry a lot more weight in that field than most any bank AM role. If he wants to go into a different field, or is at least not 100% set on public markets investing, the bank may be better due to the more generally recognized brand name and the connections across a wider range of functions (e.g. he might be able to land a role in a different field at the same bank). ER is the only field that seems like a toss up between the two, as he could lateral within the bank, but also the LO brand name would probably be valuable.

Also, “Asset Management” is a bit of a catch all term: besides LO roles, it can also refer to, for instance, asset allocation roles (think FoF) - I’ve been assuming the bank AM is LO research.

Note that this is if the LO role is a pretty prestigious one like Capital Group, Wellington, Fidelity, etc., and not some significantly lesser-known or lower-quality firm

 

thanks for the comment; yep to clarify the am is fidelity international - dont think thats significantly worse than fidelity investments (?). the Asset Management role in the bank is LO research

 

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