Top MM v/s. Top Japanese

Please help me decide. I have offers in NY IBD at both banks. Municipal Finance in a top MM (think BNP Paribas, HSBC, RBC), and Fin Sponsors in a top Japanese shop (think Mitsui, Mizuho, Nomura).
I also have non IB-offers: F500 finance department, M&A advisory in big4 accounting

I'm more inclined towards IB. I wanted your opinions- exit ops, culture, etc.

Thanks internet :)

15 Comments
 

This, RBC is in another universe compared to the rest. It's competing with lower BB to lead deals in sectors it's strong in.

Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes.
 

RBC easily, it's a BB and shouldn't be grouped with the others listed here.

 

RBC does significantly better than HSBC and BNP Paribas, at least in the US. But muni finance is barely IB. I'd probably do Sponsors at Nomura and then transfer after a year or after your summer

 

It's not seen as as prestigious as other areas of IB. In a lot of banks muni finance isn't even under the IB division. It depends on the bank as to how easy it is to move areas. But it'll be a lot harder moving from muni to IB than if you were in M&A wanting to move to industrials for example.

 

Take the offer from the Japanese bank unless you really want to be in public finance. RBC public finance is still very much a middle market shop--they do much smaller deals and many more deals than BAML/Citi/MS/JP/GS. Think tons of $30mm deals for random school districts and local governments you've never heard of.

Not sure how great dealflow is at the Japanese banks, but the skills you'd gain even just from pitching in a Sponsors group would be more transferable than public finance. I think that everyone else responding completely missed the fact that your offer is not for a classic RBC IBD group.

 
Most Helpful
"Taggart Transcontinental" Take the offer from the Japanese bank unless you really want to be in public finance. RBC public finance is still very much a middle market shop--they do much smaller deals and many more deals than BAML/Citi/MS/JP/GS. Think tons of $30mm deals for random school districts and local governments you've never heard of.

Not sure how great dealflow is at the Japanese banks, but the skills you'd gain even just from pitching in a Sponsors group would be more transferable than public finance. I think that everyone else responding completely missed the fact that your offer is not for a classic RBC IBD group.

This. Reading through the comments I was like, "wtf OP clearly stated its muni finance, yet people are suggesting RBC because their IB is solid."

I'm not too sure about Mizuho but I'd take Mitsui / Nomura easily given your choices.

 

Vero natus ut eos consequatur. Eum ducimus eveniet harum asperiores sapiente harum eum. Pariatur fuga ex eos eum. Et voluptas quia ab molestias quia reprehenderit. Commodi porro autem et doloremque quis maiores quia aut. Illum quibusdam esse et exercitationem. Nihil molestiae veritatis ea magnam.

Aut ea eos quam itaque rem. Reprehenderit fugit nesciunt quibusdam. Ad quia ipsa officiis rerum id.

Quia excepturi voluptatem et quos esse nulla cum. Numquam quidem itaque et ducimus mollitia. Est fugit repellendus impedit. Deserunt dolore tenetur dolor saepe qui natus ullam. Perspiciatis animi omnis accusantium corrupti autem quas molestiae. Iste dolores et quia nihil error iste nam. Nisi quis cum perferendis eum unde laborum omnis.

Et eveniet dicta ullam est nihil assumenda cupiditate. Esse ea placeat eos culpa perferendis quasi. Aut praesentium aut esse id tempora ullam. Sint autem mollitia quam voluptatem consequatur molestiae. Magnam maxime pariatur commodi ratione.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
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...”