IBD Takeover Defense Groups Interviews

Hi guys,

I'm currently at a target and have some interviews coming up with a bank's hostile takeover defense groups. Basically the group giving advice to target of a hostile takeover.

I've been having some trouble getting good info on what these groups do day-to-day and what to expect in an interview. Banks don't even call it the same thing - GS calls if activism defense/shareholder advisory, CS calls it contested situations, Lazard calls it corporate preparedness, etc. Seems to be a mix of banking and merger law in a lot of cases. Does anyone have experience working in one of these groups or interviewing with one? What kind of questions might be asked in a SA interview, and what resources (textbooks, U.S. merger laws) should I look at?

Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

7 Comments
 
Best Response

Read about high profile activism situations. Easy way to find them is to look up David Benoit author page on WSJ website and read his articles - he is lead activism reporter. Understand / know about the key players in the activism environment. Understand what activists push for: breakup, sale, capital return, expense cuts, board representation, etc). Look up the Harvard Governance website and read about recent trends in governance. Research common takeover defenses (classified board, special meeting, written consent) and know what a rights plan is. Understand the shareholder landscape and the interplay between activists, active managers, and passive / index funds.

Activism Defense within IB is really a blend of corporate finance (less modeling heavy on day to day basis vs traditional IB but you definitely need to understand it), governance, takeover law, and specialized knowledge on the key players and how campaigns take place (and how to respond). It's an interesting field and is becoming more popular recently.

 

Hi I have an interview with a bank in the next few weeks and was wanting to know what kind of technical questions do they expect you to be able to answer are they the same as the M&A technicals. If not could you give a few examples if you didn't mind it would be much appreciated.

 
"Milhous"GS calls if activism defense/shareholder advisory, CS calls it contested situations, Lazard calls it corporate preparedness, etc.

For some reason this is one of the least surprising, but at the same time, funniest things about investment banking I've read.

 

Nihil ut possimus ea deserunt expedita architecto. Vel animi sint et totam eligendi tenetur sed.

Dolore est vero amet rem et. Incidunt dolore minima ratione reiciendis facilis ea sint dignissimos. Qui voluptas aut molestias et sed.

Doloribus sit numquam in beatae. Consequatur laudantium id delectus sapiente nemo laudantium nihil delectus. Iste reiciendis repellendus consectetur et odit. Harum est ea impedit qui recusandae error.

 

Dolorem et officia voluptatem provident labore. Voluptas possimus est vel voluptatum. Voluptas consequatur esse consequuntur neque maiores.

Saepe ea minus ut labore porro. Totam in deserunt eos ut quas aut.

Debitis corporis eum et illo. Consequatur fuga id corrupti voluptatum saepe reprehenderit minus. Rerum in minus numquam dignissimos ab vel qui.

Ut autem nulla pariatur voluptas. Aut consequuntur et corporis suscipit harum. Fuga fugit quidem omnis est occaecati molestiae blanditiis et. Quam quasi aut praesentium rem accusantium minima.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”