Am I allowed to email my friends at other banks?

Incoming analyst here. Most of my college friends broke into IB/S&T out of school, I did not. After a year in another job, I managed to lateral into a seat and will be starting soon. Super excited obviously

Might be a stupid question, but would compliance raise any red flags / fire me if I used my work email to send a message to my friends at other banks on Wall Street just to say hello? Feel like it would be fun and obviously I wouldn’t say anything out of pocket. But I also don’t want to get fired on my first day if this is actually not ok loln

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with my friends we just send each other CIMs and hide messages in the disclaimers so compliance wont see it

 

I don't see why emailing contacts from another bank would trip any alarm bells. Banks work with other banks all the time (e.g. as co-advisors, on the other side of the deal etc.) so it is pretty normal.

I don't see why emailing a friend is an issue either - if you're not breaching any confidentiality agreements etc. it is really not an issue.

 

I’ve done it from time to time and haven’t run into issues. Always been in relation to a transaction we’re both a part of though. I’ll add that it has never been anything I wouldn’t be comfortable attached to my name if it was brought up.

 

Your work email and work equipment should be used for work. If there is a legitimate work reason to do so then not sure why there would be a question. 

If it’s a personal matter just use your personal email or whatever. 

GL

 

why would you do this? or even risk this?

likely no issues but just why bother..

"we do not reach the peaks of these mountains, without first learning to give up our want to surrender" - shanke koyzcan
 
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You’re fine sending a quick hello from your work email. Compliance isn’t sitting there waiting to nuke you for saying hi to friends at other banks. People in the industry talk to each other all the time and nobody expects you to pretend your college friends vanished the moment you got your badge.

That said you still need to be smart about it. Keep it light keep it social keep it boring. No market views no client names no deal talk no “you won’t believe what we’re working on.” A simple hope you’re doing well type message is completely harmless.

As long as you treat the work email like something your MD and compliance could read without flinching you’re not going to get fired on day one.

 

Compliance isn’t sitting there waiting to nuke you for saying hi to friends at other banks.

Yes they are. Banks have fired people and were fined millions for bankers simply chatting over WhatsApp. If you even mention WhatsApp or another third party messaging system anywhere on your email or IM chat, it gets flagged for review. It happened to a few people in my analyst class. They will not take kindly for using their email domain to chat with your buddies at other banks. Horrible idea. It's not 2006, the regulatory environment has changed drastically. 

 

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