Top groups in Charlotte

At BB IB group currently and want to move to Charlotte eventually. What are the best groups there? Looking for good culture. Don’t really care about the clout. Just don’t know what groups are even there but I keep hearing it’s becoming more of a financial hub. Coverage groups? Capital markets?

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Strongest offices in CLT in no particular order.

JEF - Tech-enabled Services, ADG, C&R, REGL. Around 70 bankers in total. All groups are strong and have solid cultures & the people are definitely nicer and more laid back, although all groups sweat a lot due to high deal flow. Probably the top dog in CLT in terms of deal flow and exits.

WF - Obviously the largest office down in CLT. C&R, ABF, E&P, FIG, HC, Industrials, LevFin, M&A, Regional IB, TMT. In terms of deal flow E&P and LevFin, and FIG are probably the strongest. None of them are amazing in terms of exit opps, though I know of several bankers who lateraled to top BBs in NY (probably not applicable in your situation). Culture varies by group, but I've heard that Industrials has a pretty good culture.

Lazard MM - Industrial Technology, HC, and C&R. Very small group with fewer than 15 bankers, and heard culture there was pretty good. Decent deal flow, mostly on the LMM end. Not sure about exits.

Blair - ADG, C&R, Transportation & Logistics, Automotive, and Tech. Extremely new group, but it's grown pretty quickly and has nearly 40 bankers now. Heard mixed things about culture - some people say it's really good, other people say it's super sweaty.

 

Yup. Didn't include them because while the offices are solid OP asked for the best offices and I didn't think they were as good as the ones I listed before, but I can also add a bit more about them.

BofA - A fading office. Used to have a very strong LevFin group and ABF group but most of the groups have relocated to NY. Now a shell of its former self. Would not aim for this office if you're looking for a place to have a career in banking down here.

Piper - Around 50 people or so split across C&R, Industrials, HC, and FIG. Mostly former Edgeview seniors with some also from WF. Decent deal flow, but definitely behind WB and JEF in terms of exits. Culture is chill and pretty fratty - an analyst I know there regularly throws a football around during lunch with his MD.

BlackArch - Pretty small boutique with around 35 or so bankers. Lots of sponsor deal flow. They have lost a number of their top seniors over the past few years though. Not sure about culture.

SVB Leerink - Pretty small office with a dozen or so bankers focused on Pharma and HC Services. Don't know anything about culture or deal flow there.

Truist - Most IB still in Atlanta but they have a few bankers in Charlotte as well. Honestly Truist seems like an absolute mess right now. Have heard nothing but bad things since the merger. The integration has been sloppy, turnover has been insane, and morale is super low from what I've heard. 

 

Don't forget the advisory arm of the big commercial banks in CLT; Fifth Third, Regions & Citizens specifically.

Fifth Third runs with some solid Capital Markets mandates. Very much capital markets focused bank that predominantly takes smaller allocations within large stock/bond underwritings, as one would expect from a mid-tier commercial bank.

Regions is similar and actually just acquired a more advisory focused boutique in Virginia (Clearsight Advisors), so I could be an interesting time to be in their IB department.

 

CLT office does M&A and is the 2nd biggest office in number of bankers. Around 2 dozen or so I believe.

 

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