ATL IB Scene

From the ATL area and was curious was the IB scene is like here.  Know that there is some previous forms, but could someone speak on the different banks/WLB/exits from them, as it doesn't seem that there has been much of an update in a while?  Know that HL, Guggenheim, Stephens, and others have offices in the area, but would love some information on what these firms look like nowadays.

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Just know about Guggenheim. Work about 80 hours a week plus or minus depending on the week. PE exits have been good name MM groups. Compensation is the same as other groups in New York. Work from home on fridays. Happy to answer anything else you’d like to know.

 

Culture is good. I’d say still 70-80 hours for associates plus or minus depending on deal flow and staffing. Depending on how the VP manages projects and what MD they are under id say 60-85.

 
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Goldman: effectively shuttered ATL office. There might be some public sector healthcare bankers in Atlanta, but that’s not core IBD. Only remaining banker is Dave Dase who is head of Southeast and now Co-Head of Global sports

Barclays: small office, been around for 10+ years, historically focused on serving Roark. In 2018, head of office left to work for Roark. Don’t hear a lot about them

JPM: middle market senior bankers. Office has been around for 10+ year I believe, but don’t think they really hire junior bankers. Focus is on winning middle market business in southeast. Must be doing something right if they’ve been around awhile but given senior focus, probably not relevant to most people reading this

Guggenheim: think it’s best overall deal for Atlanta. Almost EB type comp (even though Guggenheim pays at low end of other EBs), normal banking hours, very active dealflow, focused on IT Services. Office hasn’t been around for long, think it launched in 2021

HL: productive, think they’re pretty dominant in staffing. Think office has been around since 2016-2017 or so. I think HL pays OK for a MM but not EB pay

Blair: has IT Services and FinTech in ATL. Launched office in 2018/2019 or so. I think Atlanta was hit by the huge wave of Blair layoffs, but before that, they seemed pretty scaled and similar to Guggenheim and HL in terms of headcount. Important for any office to get to headcount of scale. They were doing well before the big layoffs but I wouldn’t touch any Blair office with a 10 foot pole for a little while

Truist: it’s a bummer that they have gone down the toilet over the last 5 years. They used to be a great place for productive bankers at good platforms to go out to pasture and milk for a few more years of comp, but no more. Don’t think they are productive, pay OK not great (get an ATL discount), and been a bit of a dumpster fire with layoffs / restructuring how industry group and M&A groups interact with one another. Would not plan to go here for more than 2 years

Small boutiques / Regional: think 5th third and regions have offices. Some boutiques include VRA, Croft and bender, TM Capital (just acquired), Janey Montgomery Scott. Don’t have much commentary to add

 

Is there any update on the Barclays office, have heard they work alongside nyc so could be decent

 

Interviewed with Guggenheim in ATL, no offer but seemed like good people. Truist is there too but they are a fucking joke honestly. If MM is your thing, look into Citizens.

 

Surprised no one has said this so far but RayJ has an office there.  Additionally Guggenheim's office has restructuring there as well if that's your thing

 

Any idea what shops in Atlanta have the best WLB? Heard good things about TM Capital, VRA, and HL, specifically.

 

Curious about smaller boutiques as well. Wondering what pay looks like... 

 

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