Private Equity Placement Agent vs Investment Banking

For a SA position with two offers in hand: one for a private placement agent (think - Campbell Lutyens / Rede / Asante) and one for a BB IBD role (think - UBS / DB / Barclays), where would I be best off starting my career?

 

Depends on what you want to do and who you are. Some people prefer being on the placement agent side of the business and find that more rewarding for them. Others on the IBD. Both seem like good options, more about you and where you think you can be more successful I would think. Good luck

 
Most Helpful

Go with the IBD role as there are better exit opportunities. I would try to convert the SA stint into a FT offer for the 2-year analyst program. You'll develop a more comprehensive skillset in IBD. Its easy to pivot to PA if you want to do so in the future.

Joining a placement agent is fine if you want to go into IR longer term, assuming you work on fund advisory side, but you will be pigeon holed into it. Its a lot of back office work when you start out.

Pay diverges between IBD & PA as you get older with the former being more lucrative, unless you focus on secondaries then it could be comparable/slightly above in good years.

 

was in an almost identical position and I went with BB IBD

rationale being that placement agent is specialising relatively early in your career and provides a less transferable skill set (most transferable would be secondaries transactions which involves some, but not very detailed modelling)

whilst BB IBD is quite generalist, and you could always go to a placement agent after (as many do, many ex-bankers at placement agent I was looking)

placement agent exits seem to be to FoF, maybe secondaries PE and similar, secondaries is a burgeoning industry so if you did want to do it long term, can ride the wave up

yet to see how this move will pan out but hope that helps

 

Deserunt quia pariatur accusantium itaque. Iste totam natus doloribus velit sapiente animi. Fugiat laudantium voluptas deserunt et ducimus. Dolorum nulla occaecati sequi.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Blackstone Group 99.0%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.4%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 97.9%
  • Bain Capital 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.4%
  • Ardian 97.9%
  • Bain Capital 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.5%
  • Bain Capital 99.0%
  • Blackstone Group 98.4%
  • Warburg Pincus 97.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (22) $569
  • Vice President (92) $362
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (91) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (206) $266
  • 1st Year Associate (387) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (29) $154
  • 2nd Year Analyst (83) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (246) $122
  • Intern/Summer Associate (32) $82
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (314) $59
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
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
numi's picture
numi
98.8
10
Kenny_Powers_CFA's picture
Kenny_Powers_CFA
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...”