Financial Services | Investment
Keller is an executive search firm specializing in identifying candidates whose capabilities and character mesh seamlessly with the functional needs and ethos of our client corporations in the investment banking sector. We offer valuable insights, an extensive network of top-tier talent, and seasoned recruiters who know how to find candidates for a broad range of roles, such as Equity Researchers, M&A Advisors, and ECM and DCM specialists.
The global financial services industry has undergone a dramatic shift and continues to evolve as a result of more stringent regulations, international trade, bank mergers, and developments in technology. One thing that has remained constant throughout these changes is the need to engage top finance professionals in order to stay ahead.
Keller works closely with clients to ensure that the investment bankers we shortlist align with their firm’s values and objectives. In other words, we tailor our services to match their specific needs. This tried and tested approach sets us apart as leaders in investment banking recruitment and allows us to assist boutique and bulge-bracket banks in attracting and retaining top investment banking teams.
We aim to connect employers in investment banking and the broader field of corporate finance with exceptional talent who can fuel their success. To ensure the best fit, we follow a rigorous recruitment process that focuses on more than just a candidate’s credentials, taking into account their personality, work ethic, and leadership style.
We initiate the recruitment process by determining the hiring requirements of our investment banking clientele. With this insight, we begin the time-consuming endeavor of searching for the perfect candidates to meet these needs.
Every prospective candidate undergoes rigorous evaluations to validate their skills before being presented to the client. While the ultimate hiring decision remains with the client, we ensure they have only the best talent at their disposal.
Due to our in-depth insights into investment banking recruitment, global footprint, and many years of experience, we can pinpoint top investment banking talent across all levels of employment, from Analyst to Managing Director positions. Our extensive connections and NPAworldwide partnership also allow our team to pursue candidates who aren’t actively seeking a career change but might be open to the right opportunity.
Our recruiting expertise is not limited to sourcing outstanding talent for investment banking jobs, but also includes devising innovative hiring solutions to help our clients outperform their competitors. We offer a suite of HR consulting services to help transform our clients’ firms in this regard, such as salary benchmarking, succession planning, executive coaching, and more.
We only consider our recruiting services successful when our client firms experience growth as a result of the perfect hire. As such, we focus on prioritizing each client’s unique requirements, customizing our recruiting process accordingly.
We begin the recruitment process with a thorough analysis of our client’s firm to gain a better understanding of the areas that could be enhanced by the right talent placement. We use the insights we gather during this initial evaluation to establish the hiring criteria that will guide us throughout the rest of the search. Our recruiters then start scouting the market for potential candidates, leveraging our vast network for recommendations and referrals.
A core principle of our modus operandi is a steadfast devotion to diversity and inclusion. We recognize the benefits that different viewpoints can contribute to a company, especially in a field as wide as investment banking. Thus, we do not discriminate against candidates’ age, gender, or skin color when recommending someone for a role.
Once we have identified a pool of suitable talent for our client’s role, we contact every individual to assess their motivation and interest in it. From there, we perform a series of competency tests to evaluate their technical skills, experience, behavioral traits, and leadership qualities.
We present the finalists in a detailed report that clients can examine and reach a conclusion on who to hire.
At the very beginning of Keller’s inception, we used a single, standard approach that did not account for the unique differences between firms. Though this method yielded satisfactory outcomes for searches requiring a large volume of placements, we quickly learned it was insufficient for recruiting higher-level roles, which typically require additional time and resources.
We began reforming our recruitment process after one particular placement for a prominent client fell through because we had not considered the finer details of the role. Although the candidate we put forward for the position was competent, they were lacking in their cultural alignment, which caused friction between them and the current members of our client’s team. This led to the former’s untimely departure, landing our client back at square one.
To prevent a similar incident from occurring again in the future, we began to focus on addressing our customers’ unique recruitment needs and challenges instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach. After this pivotal shift, we began seeing an increase in the number of successful hires we were making, to such an extent that we rose through the ranks of the world’s best recruiting firms. Today, our reputation for reliability and high-quality candidates continues to win us international recognition, and employers from around the globe rely on us to fill their most critical roles.
Refer to Keller’s latest Insights below for information on recruitment best practices and practical tips for boosting the employee experience at your firm.
Investment banking comprises a vast array of services and specialties. We at Keller Executive Search place candidates in positions in many fields within the investment banking sector, for example:
At Keller, our goal is to identify the most qualified investment banking talent for our clients in the sector. We do this by utilizing our deep understanding of the industry and leveraging an extensive global network cultivated over decades inside the investment banking community. Additionally, our team maintains dialogues with decision-makers in the industry, giving us real-time insights into the movements in the job market.
Part of what makes our investment banking recruiting process stand out is our commitment to never being boxed into a pre-set list of titles. We routinely source professionals who have the skills and capabilities to make meaningful impacts in executive or leadership positions – be it directors or associates capable of leading live transactions or first-year analysts who can originate new opportunities and guide sector strategy. Because we spend as much time speaking with candidates as with clients, we can surface professionals who are not actively on the market yet possess the niche skill sets that can drive impact, innovation, and business growth.
Furthermore, every search begins with a collaborative scoping session involving business heads and human resources so we understand the commercial objectives, cultural nuances, and timetable of our clients. We then combine this with proprietary market-mapping technology and a rigorous interview process to validate each prospect’s accounting skills, valuation proficiency, and deal execution history while also probing soft skills such as leadership and the ability to mentor junior talent. Only candidates who meet certain benchmarks are shortlisted and presented to our clients for further interviewing and hiring.
Developing a thriving business in investment banking requires assembling an elite team. Keller recognizes this imperative for navigating the ever-shifting financial services landscape and driving company growth. Partnering with us means access to the industry’s finest
Our success can be accredited to our vast network of affiliations, in-depth knowledge of the investment banking industry, and integrated hiring process. This all-encompassing approach cultivates lasting relationships with our clients, which are grounded in mutual understanding and advancement.
Another perk of partnering with us is our continued support throughout the onboarding process. We ensure hires integrate seamlessly into their new roles and are fully prepared to contribute to our clients’ businesses from day one.
Lastly, we see to it that we are able to continue pairing high-caliber investment bankers with leading corporations through continuous learning. In other words, we stay updated on current market developments, keep track of where the best talent is engaged, and make changes to our investment banking recruitment process where necessary. We also appreciate all forms of feedback from employers and candidates, as it helps us understand what we are doing right and where we can improve.
Discretion and professionalism underpin all of our dealings at Keller. We value the trust our clients bestow on us and remain committed to assisting investment banks in securing elite talent without compromising on caliber. We achieve this by complying with strict non-disclosure agreements, operating within the data-privacy and protection laws of our clients’ locales, and storing all information securely so as not to undermine our clients’ or candidates’ safety.
We also recognize that no recruitment process is infallible, including our own, and that circumstances are liable to change. In this respect, we offer a 210-day replacement program to account for those instances where a candidate can no longer take on a role or moves on within this timeframe.
With a focus on investment banking recruitment, we aim to locate candidates who not only match but exceed your recruitment expectations. Engage with Keller today to discover how we can boost your firm’s chances for success.
“Our firm needed investment bankers who could navigate intricate market trends while providing leadership in high-pressure situations. Keller’s team worked closely with us to identify the exact skills we needed and presented a shortlist of exceptional candidates. The professionals we brought on have had an immediate impact on our operational effectiveness and have improved our cross-team collaboration.”
- David M., Managing Director of Human Resources
“Keller helped us find senior-level investment bankers who could handle complex financial transactions and manage client expectations. Their approach was incredibly efficient, providing us with well-vetted candidates who immediately understood our strategic goals. The new hires have already strengthened our advisory services and streamlined our financial modeling processes.”
- Rebecca C., Chief Strategy Officer
“We were looking for investment banking professionals who could bring both technical expertise and a strong understanding of market dynamics. Keller’s service exceeded our expectations – they took the time to understand our team’s needs and introduced us to candidates who were not only skilled but also a good fit for our firm’s culture. Since hiring, we’ve seen improved deal flow and stronger client relationships.”
- James L., Senior VP of Talent Acquisition