Men dominate investment banking deals, research finds

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The offices of banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Citi, HSBC, and other financial institutions are pictured in the financial district of Canary Wharf, from iside the Sky Garden in London on July 3, 2019. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

A new ranking of Europe’s top investment bankers reveals that no women were included in the top 10 by number of deals over £100m.

According to the research by data platform Mergerlinks , the top deal doer in Europe in the year ended the first half of 2019 was Rothschild & Co banker Dominic Hollamby who advised on seven deals valued at £15.7bn during the period.

Dirk Pahlke of Rothschild & Co was in second with six deals valued at £1.5bn, followed by Joe Hannon of Credit Suisse with five deals valued at £12.2bn, with Anthony Gutman of Goldman Sachs on five deals valued at £11.9bn and Will Lawes of Lazard in fifth on four deals valued at £11bn.

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According to the data, the top female M&A banker was Virginie Lazes of Rothschild & Co who advised on four deals of an undisclosed value, followed by Charlotte Craigie of Goodbody who advised on three deals valued at £321m, Claire Brooksby of JP Morgan who acted on two deals valued at £2.5bn, Shannon Nicholls of Rothschild & Co who advised on two deals valued at £1.6bn and Emma Gabriel of Canaccord Genuity who acted on two deals valued at £490m.

RankNameFirmNumber of deals
1 Virginie Lazes Rothschild & Co 4
2Charlotte Craigie Goodbody 3
3Claire Brooksby JP Morgan 2
4 Shannon Nicholls Rothschild & Co 2
5 Emma Gabriel Canaccord Genuity 2

Mergerlinks chief executive Bartosz Jaskula said: “It’s pretty evident that women are highly under-represented within the sector. We have 50,000 dealmakers profiled and it’s tough to find female bankers in senior roles.”

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In contrast, the company’s ranking of the top 10 M&A lawyers included two women: Linklaters partner Jessamy Gallagher who acted on four deals valued at £8.9bn and Ashurst partner Karen Davies who advised on four deals valued at £6.5bn. 

Jaskula said the banking industry still had catching up to do on gender diversity, but noted improvements in maternity and paternity leave policies as evidence the sector was starting to address the issue.

“I think they are making progress but they are still behind the curve that’s for sure,” he said.