Transition from Big4 M&A to Investment M&A

I am looking to transition from a tax M&A role to an opportunity on the strategic side, evaluating investment and acquisition opportunities

For background, I am a CPA at [Big4 Firm] in the M&A Tax practice and have been with the NYC M&A group since October, 2017. I have both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Accounting from Penn State.  In my current role I interact with banks, lawyers, and insurers on buy-side transactions to assist [Big4 Firm]’s private equity clients with adjustments to purchase prices after identifying a target company’s tax deficiencies. 

I would describe myself as an analytical thinker with strong diligence and tax structuring skills, and experience on complex, high-profile transactions. 

Generally, banks have been looking to hire undergraduate/graduate students directly into their analyst programs. The PE shops appear interested in experienced hires with the aforementioned banking background.

Thoughts on how I may be able to make this transition would be greatly appreciated.

3 Comments
 
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Your best bet is probably to try and lateral into an IB analyst program. Making the jump from M&A tax at big 4 to PE on the investing side will be very, very tough, unless you have a super solid in (brother in law a VP/partner at a fund or something like that).

Just know for the IB analyst program, depending on the bank (usually will be the case), they'll have you start over as a first year analyst. I've seen a few boutiques/lower tier banks take on laterals from unrelated backgrounds as second years, but rare unless you crush the technicals out of the park/do well on the modeling exam if they give you one.

After doing IB as an analyst, I'd say your chances of getting to PE on the investing side will drastically change. However, good to know that this largely still will be somewhat of a challenge, as PE recruiting is heavily rooted in what bank you are currently at/what group within that bank. If you're at a lower tier bank/at a group that isn't highly known/performing well, you will need to network your way into PE and rely more on your own effort to getting interviews.

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