Switching to IB associate role from another front office analyst role without MBA; possible?

Will be coming in as a senior analyst (lateral hire) at a top 10 bank in a non IB front office role (corp banking, s&t, cm), but was wondering if it's possible to enter an IB associate program in the same bank without having done an MBA? Has anyone seen this happen before?

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Università LUM Giuseppe Degennaro

Class of '23 Sep 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Investment Banking Mock Coffee Chat

“I had a great conversation with Jorge and genuinely appreciated his willingness to share his experience and insights. His career journey, from an engineering background into investment banking and subsequently investing, was particularly interesting and highly relevant to my own career aspirations. He provided thoughtful perspectives on breaking into investment banking in London, navigating the transition from the sell-side to the buy-side, and developing the skills and judgement required to become a successful investor. I particularly valued his emphasis on the importance of understanding the industries and businesses behind financial transactions: strong industry knowledge is essential not only to assess companies and investment opportunities more effectively, but also to become a more well-rounded and insightful finance professional. I also appreciated the openness of his answers, which reflected his own professional experience. The conversation was helpful and engaging.”

Class of '27 Jul 2026 Cohort

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Investment Banking Mock Interview

“Very comprehensive session. We worked through a paper LBO and I got useful tips on how to build the debt schedule. Mentor's camera didn’t work because of a technical issue, but that didn’t affect the quality of the session at all, and I felt I advanced a lot. It was straight to the point: she moved from question to question without wasting any time, and finished with direct feedback. The follow-up note was clear and specific, with two priorities (IB vs PE and the LBO walk) and a plan for the next session. Honestly one of the best sessions I’ve had.”

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Switching to IB associate role from another front office analyst role without MBA; possible?

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Switching to IB associate role from another front office analyst role without MBA; possible?

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