Corporate finance is a very general term used to describe a particular function in the front office of an investment bank and is a highly active area in the financial services sector.

The role is by nature a client facing position, working with blue-chip clients on often very lucrative and prestigious deals.

Corporate finance involves:

• Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
• Management buy-outs (MBOs)
• Management buy-ins (MBIs)
• Flotations
• Restructuring

M&A is the area most synonymous with corporate finance for the majority of newly qualified accountants and is the most common entry point for individuals straight out of practice.

M&A is essentially concerned with advising clients on how to conduct a merger or acquisition. Corporate financiers are then involved in actively transacting the deal on behalf of the parties involved.

Why choose corporate finance?

Corporate financiers are often perceived as playing an important role in ‘selling’ the bank and its services to the outside world. The role is by nature client facing, working with blue-chip clients on often very lucrative and prestigious deals.

Most newly-qualified accountants begin their careers in corporate finance assisting in the execution of deals by doing financial modelling and due diligence work. They may also get involved in preparing market information for organisational purposes, which is usually presented to clients by more senior financiers.

Interested in a career in corporate finance? Contact Ronan Farrelly in Robert Walters Dublin on +353 (0)1 633 4111 or email your CV to ronan.farrelly@robertwalters.com.