I did it. I quit a UBS IB group.
Ignore title, I wanted to share my experience and what led me to quit UBS. There are just so many better platforms in the US that I felt should switch
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Which one? TMT?
One of the worse groups, but can neither confirm nor deny to protect my identity
Both Tech and MnT have seen a ton of associates leave and it has generally been the stronger / more tenured associates. Now seniors have to rely on brain dead and / or on the spectrum MBAs and vets to get anything done
Is it all associates or anyone else leave?
What were you main reasons for quitting?
Not a good year and it keeps declining. Q1 league tables have it down like 40% this year relative to last year, even APAC, our usual bright spot, is struggling
Did you quit to go to something else ?
Very informative post, thanks for the insights.
You got bolls!!!
Yeah should of just mooned the group head, gotten fired, and then maybe I’d get severance
you should do it when the group head is buying you drinks at happy hour… oh wait
Is the sharing your experience and what led you to quit UBS in the room with us now?
Many groups you just need the group head to love you. He/she will pick their favorites and pay bad bonuses to non-favorites, regardless of how the group is performing
This is so damn true!
Why would you leave? UBS investment banking is paradise…
Wouldn’t wish UBS on my enemies, not worth the pay, when you get surprise low bonuses and are wasting your time not closing deals with aimless networking
Was surprised there were no UBS hate posts on the top of WSO the last couple days. Usually there is at least one. Now everyone can use this thread to release any pent up anger over the 48 hours
For example I worked all day for a meeting that was just cancelled. F this place
Grinding juniors for pointless shit is our craft
There’s so much pent up anger… UBS employees going feral with this thread
One day we will all be free :(
Nothing is permanent, one day we will all die
Hopefully not because of seniors who don’t respect analysts physical and mental health or wellbeing inshallah
Hoping to quit at the end of the month myself. Gotta get out of this place. Every year since 2020 things get worse and worse business wise and culturally
No longer even the illusion of fairness and merit.
You definetly feel the divide between insiders and outsiders and the group will make it very clear where you lie. Not enough deals for everyone so if you are an outsider you will just ride the bench and be a pitch b****
The CS merger really ruined UBS GB. Without the merger we’d be in the same place business wise but without the added drama and costs, not to mention all the Lehman jerk offs and their chosen people skimming off the bonus pool in perpetuity
Lehman bros came almost exactly at the same time as CS merger.
We could of maybe survived the CS merger, it’s the Lehman team that finished off the bank.
What was the reason behind the acquisition of cs by UBS?
Did you consider asking to be laid off? Might be a good idea for those who want out of this place but with a softer landing.
UBS IB definitely is still trying to cut costs given our pathetic revenue / market share and so many people are miserable, probably 25% of people would volunteer for an opt-in RIF if severance was decent eg 6 months. They should honestly offer it, would be a win-win for everyone.
I’m not on severance was bad enough to leave even without severance.
I won’t comment on whether I asked to protect my identity
Well on their way to turn into PWC advisory in the Americas
Have you ever had the feelin' that you was bein' had?
Don't that shit there make you mad? They treat you like a slave
Put chains all on your soul and put whips up on your back
They be lyin' through they teeth, hope you slip up off your path
Nice Lupe ref
If you are suffering at UBS, just remember you are still incredibly lucky.
You should now use that incredible luck that got you into IB, and pair it with good decision making and get the f out
With the new capital rules coming, UBS IB is screwed long-term anyway. WF, Santander, Jefferies and others of a similar tier are going to supplant us in mid-market / sponsors and take our actual revenue generating clients. We can continue to fail at pitching large corporates that will hire GS.
Will probably end up getting the US IB sold off to some shit bank that wants to make a push into IB like PNC or US Bank at some point.
If you’re in a cushy seat at UBS IB just slack off until you are RIF’d. And if you aren’t happy, quiet quit or cause problems until they lay you off. BE THE DRAMA
I thought Ros was a mediocre head of IB at best. But after what I’ve seen, please Ros, take over again! You are amazing and an inspiration is what I meant to say
Post above that shows as “.” previously said something along the lines of:
“Temperature check:
Like this post if you like working at UBS and MS if you do not.”
He deleted it because it was too much MS to handle and thought this was all bots liking everything. Keep going
yeah sorry please SB the other comment I don’t want to ruin my account with all the MS lol
NEW POLL: MONKEY SHIT this post if you are enjoying your UBS GB experience, or SILVER BANANA this post if you are NOT enjoying it
Liking because you are just trying to MS to bring this thread down
Ok I switched the choices around. Silver Banana means you h8 ubs!
Once Marco logs on you’re gonna get at least 1 monkey shit!
The call him Marco?.. Polo!..
Because although he can hear that deals are out there, he can’t see any for himself
Marco about to log on the MS this
Marco about to log on to MS this
Marco is gonna have to run his own poll at the next town hall. Only ex Barclays people will be allowed to vote though
He’s going to have to run his own bank pretty soon, hard to see another bank picking him and his Barclays cohort up
Bump
Anyone know when the next round of RIFs are? Hoping its my time in the sun!
I pray I get RIFd every day :(
Imagine if there was a way that the GB employees could vote Marco out of office.
Referendum would require a 80% supermajority and I bet they’d vote him out because the core favorites make up less than 20% of the bank
Marco is gonna have to run his own poll at the next town hall. Only ex Barclays people will be allowed to vote though.
Marco wins 100% to 0%!
LMAO Free UBS Juniors!
Free YNW Melly
Naruto.. quit! They can’t stop us all
Still true to this day
What do I tell the interns when they hit the desk tomorrow and ask what this thread is about? LMAO
Have a great first day at UBS! Banking is our craft!
Tell them to work hard on their fake made up project because you don’t trust them on your fake made up marketing materials
Imagine being a TMT intern… those poor souls
Tell them it almost certainly won’t be Marco by the time they come back. But also that who knows where GB Americas will be in a year. Could even be part of a new company, or can come back to a closed down Americas GB.
Work hard, network, get the return, and you could always shop it in August
Guys what if we try to do a junior walkout again so we can get #blessed with the RIFs?
Stop it you all are being so mean :(
WSO needs to take this thread down before all the leadership in Paradeplatz on Bahnhofstrasse in Zürich wake up and see it :(
It’s like the colonists in Americas are starting the rebellion. The royals in Zurich put their loyalists in charge of the Americas with little oversight. This led to ill treatment of those who were already living and working in the Americas.
History repeating itself but at a corporate level
** Zürich
Plz fix dankeschön
I stand in solidarity with those suffering at UBS. May you have the courage to persevere in the face of significant challenges
Would make a solid tv show
They should make Industry but in UBS TMT. The show could have a TMT junior having a heart attack after pulling an all-nighter for a fake bake-off deck that no one asked for while GS and MS gets the mandate
To all the incoming interns:
Here’s why I tell every incoming summer analyst that UBS is the launchpad for an extraordinary career:
The full integration of Credit Suisse’s positions, clients, and talent means juniors step straight onto a super-charged platform that fuses the best of both banks.
Every mandate you pitch can plug into a multi-trillion-dollar client asset base that few rivals can match.
Our lean, integrated coverage teams let first-years join CEO calls and drive live workstreams—no “slide-factory” silo here.
With a capital ratio north of 14 percent, you can chase opportunity without worrying the floor disappears beneath you.
Watching us knit two global banks together by 2026 teaches execution, change-management, and synergy hunting better than any MBA case study.
We’re rebuilding the Investment Bank to be the most data-driven shop on the Street—AI-powered research, automated pricing, and code-friendly workstations come standard.
From green-bond underwriting to cross-border M&A for founder-led unicorns, you rotate through products instead of being pigeonholed.
Our bankers originate sustainability-linked financings daily, backed by award-winning ESG research you’ll help produce—skills investors now prize.
We operate in more than 50 countries but keep decision-making flat; if you have the analysis, you have the voice—whether you’re in New York, Zürich, or Singapore.
Want to move from FIG M&A into fintech venture coverage, or from Equity-Linked to Wealth client advisory? Our cross-divisional mobility program makes that pivot seamless.
Bottom line: If you’re hungry to learn fast, think globally, and build relationships that compound for decades, start here.
To All the Incoming Interns: A Rebuttal from someone who was just in the Trenches
Welcome to UBS Investment Bank... or what’s left of it. The above is just some ChatGPT garbage.
A slightly more real perspective…
1. “Two powerful franchises in one”?
That’s one way to describe the ongoing crisis. The other way is to look at it is with league tables especially those that estimate fees (LSEG, Ion, FactSet etc.). You’ll see the erosion of the platforms since 2022. You think this is combining UBS and CS, but it’s actually former Barclays bankers who were at Lehman (Yes that Lehman) repeating history.
2. “Plug into a multi-trillion-dollar client base”
Sure, but you are in the GB not wealth management. Many of these clients are sophisticated enough to have a team with access to PitchBook, FactSet and Bloomberg and no real to need to hire a lowly UBS banker.
3. “Early responsibility”?
Reality: You’ll be taking notes on midnight calls with no context, building fake bake-off decks for pitches that were lost two weeks ago, and getting scolded for missing the font size in a deck no one reads.
4. “Balance sheet for every market cycle”
Have you googled the upcoming (and likely) Swiss reserve requirement that will limit UBS lending and UBS growth?
5. “Integration playbook”
You’ll witness synergies first-hand like: “replace everyone with ex-Barclays people,” “cancel your weekend for a fake synergy doc,” and “cut bonuses but tell people it’s the economy or their personal performance.” Integration is messy.
6. “Tech that lets juniors punch above their weight”
AI generated garbage that touts AI usage. So UBS uses Ai? Yeah so does the basic google search and every teenager these days.
7. “Deal flow”?
If by deal flow you mean updating tombstones from 2021, then yes… a fountain of activity. Just as good as Nomura globally on dealogic for Global M&A in YTD 2025. Doesn’t sound BB worthy to me, and more like “Deal?” “No!” than deal flow.
8. “ESG that’s real”
Handful of ESG bankers laughed at internally and forced to create materials to seem relevant. So real, it’s in many pitches… until the client picks BofA anyway and your MD asks you to quietly delete those slides from the working materials.
9. “Swiss rigor with global hustle”
Which feels more like Zurich ignoring and mismanaging the GB in New York. But good news, if the larger Swiss reserve asset policy is implemented… maybe they’ll have to move HQ to London… and destroy the Swiss economy in the process. Time to hustle out of Zurich.
10. “Rotation paths”?
The only thing rotating is the door. Want to rotate? Sure the group is hiring because some on their team left. No great team in the IB will simply let you rotate in.
Bottom line: If you’re craving trauma bonding, mysterious RIFs, “he just left?” conversations, and a crash course in corporate gaslighting, you’ve come to the right place.
Otherwise? Work hard, get the return offer, shop your offer in August, and get out. Fairly simple move in, perform, get the goods, and move out.
Good Night and Good Luck!
-A former fellow UBS banker who’s been through it
Lmao.
To all the wide-eyed interns, please disregard this load of shit
“Please disregard the hundreds of apes who have liked this thread”
Or you can use logic to show the silver banana to MS ratio on this thread is super high
Quit bitching… you guys signed up to be bankers
Agree but we didn’t agree to LARP as bankers
If you’re not good enough to be put on real deals, you’re just telling on yourself…
It's been 10hrs WHERE IS Executive Director in IB - Gen???
I believe he even quit UBS.
Now he is just:
Senior VP in CorpDev
Yup, no space for his/her level of delousionalness at the firm anymore
Are there bots on this thread or something? Seeing a lot of weird comments with loads of SBs.
I think people are just SB’ing comments to bump the thread up
Just a lot of pissed off UBS employees who want to expose what is really happening
Looks like it, engagement with this thread has been crazy
Woah did not expect this reaction, this became a top 80 all time thread on WSO overnight
Wow, this is like when you go to bed and there is an incoming tropical storm that intensifies overnight into a category 5 hurricane
Juniors going feral because internal reporting channels are perceived as ineffective, and the only way to effect change is through external public pressure
Top 20 Now!
I heard if we get to top 10 Marco leaves out of shame, but I dont believe it!
Top 10! WTF! Hire the search committee cause it’s over
Can anyone speak to M&A and sponsors group?
bump
Or lev fin?
d
All are various degreees of cooked.
del
Please abide by social media policies and do not post about the firm. Thank You
Its like the 80s all over again, you got First Boston, Lehman, Barclays and CS all trying to scramble for scraps at the has been UBS. UBS didnt plan all this out haha. They were overzealous and it backfired bad. But as some of you mentioned earlier, anyone working there just put the bare minimum until you are RIFed or just bounce when you get another offer. UBS is gonna get sold to a mediocre commercial bank like MUFG or something thats shit trying to break into IB. Good luck lads!
I did it. I quit a UBS IB group.
IB
Prospect in IB - Cov
Neanderthal
Ignore the title, I just wanted to share my experience and what led me to quit UBS. There are so many better platforms in the US that I felt I should switch.
Congrats. UBS will surely miss you
Who here is planning on leaving after analyst bonus?
I’m leaving and I don’t even have something lined up
I might do FMLA leave to recruit tbh
I spoke to a senior person at UBS(mentor), who told me a lot of MDs are planning to quit because the whole bank is being brought down by UBS tech (which has like 4 million of revenue this year only or something)
What should an incoming analyst in a better group be doing?
recruiting
If in LevFin or Sponsor (assuming because name), just grind PC interview prep and get an offer for it in the next 9-12 months. UBS LevFin kids regularly go to MF PC, idk what the cycle is like, but it's not like UBS isn't a top LevFin bank still, and even if it went down slightly reputation of strong placement into MF PC is still there. If you want to stay in banking in the long term, then you should look for a lateral position. If Industrials, either rush PE/desired exit recruiting or lateral. People on this forum are too blinded by hatred to give good advice. Nobody is going to take you seriously trying to lateral before 9-12 months.
Heard an intern on that team was yelled at for not wearing hairspray...
Did he look messy?
That team cares a lot about appearance, cause that’s all they have left…
an appearance of being a deal maker
Also spoke with a senior at UBS and got the sense tech team has been light on live execution, with most of the team focused on pitch work since at least 2023.
Honest question, are there any groups or even pockets within groups where the culture and wlb is reasonable? Seems like the cultural descent is pretty widespread at this point.
My knowledge of the groups:
M&A: Lots of pointless work and no culture to speak of. New Barclays head isnt good to deal with
Sponsors, LevFin, GIG: Best for deal flow but are legitimate sweatshops, consistently working 80 hours. EB hours for shit pay
Tech / M&T: Trash in all respects as discussed at length. One of my analyst buddies said a subset of people on the team openly trash talk people at night in the middle of the floor for everyone to hear
Healthcare, RELL: Dont know enough but deal flow isnt good so cant be too great. Known to have had some folks fired for various scandals in the past
Maybe there is some respite in ECM or C&R? PFG? But these groups are basically not real banking…
There are still exits available in those “better” groups and real work to be done. Other groups r totally dead
Total decay across the board. Every intern should focus on getting an offer at another bank.
Hours are really bad, seniors are really bad, culture is really bad, deal flow is really bad, pay is really bad.
Avoid like the plague.
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong (thankfully didn’t work at UBS) but I heard of some laughably small companies the C&R took out to market over the past couple of years, absolute no-names
They’ll take out anything
They’ll even go out to sponsors with processes they aren’t involved in or have direct knowledge of
del
What does sponsors group even do though besides take credit for industrials sponsors deals?
good
how is UBS healthcare in London?
U Buy Shit
Un-Believably Shitty
Usually Better Somewhere-else
U’ll Be Stresssed
Not good
Top thread of the year! LFGOOO... to any other bank
Don’t let the glossy brochures and smooth talking bankers convince you. I was fooled and now I regret not doing more research
The last two weeks of your internship if they like you they will have a strategic campaign to have all juniors have coffee chats to get you to sign your return offer.
Juniors don’t care and seniors don’t care, they are forced to do this to trick you into feeling important
2nd year analyst in Madison Square Park at 2am this summer, when they realize they haven’t closed a single deal nor gotten an exit offer
Too real
All the second years in my groups class are at this point and unsure if the firm will let them stay a 3rd year
I did it — I quit a UBS IB group.
I wanted to share my experience and what led me to this decision. There are so many better platforms in the US that made me feel it was time to switch.
If anyone’s been through a similar situation or has thoughts on different IB platforms, I’d love to hear your perspective.
Lol people reposting this as they quit. The new UBS quitting oath:
“I wanted to share my experience and what led me to this decision. There are so many better platforms in the US that made me feel it was time to switch.”
UBS lifer here since undergrad. Up until the last two years I fought hard to recruit people and worked hard. Then my group was turned upside down by CS and Barclays people
Do NOT join UBS. I will personally quit next year post my next promotion.
Legacy UBS treated the worst
If its any indication of early movement given senior females in banking, since there arent many, usually get many more looks / opportunities, and thus if their seat isnt good they will be first to jump:
In the last month alone, three legacy UBS tenured female MDs have quit, one in FSG, one in GIG, and one in RELL.
Our MD diversity stats are ruined 😂
del
Meh sponsors is overrated. They’ll do the deal regardless of banker and will give credit to those based on lending terms. In an actual transaction sponsors doesn’t do much
del
.
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