Are you hoping to kickstart your investment banking career in a top investment banking firm in France? There are various options to choose from in every tier. All the bulge bracket firms have a major presence in Paris and you'll also find prestigious elite boutiques and regional banks like BNP Paribas, Jefferies, and Natixis.
In this article, we will highlight the top investment banks in France, give you an overview of what you should know about each firm, and provide tips on how to find the right one.
Investment banks offer a variety of services that help bridge the gap between investors, governments, and corporations. They go beyond traditional banking, offering diverse services that contribute to the national and global economy. These include:
In France, you will find different types of investment banking firms. These include bulge bracket banks like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, French IBs like BNP Paribas and Natixis, and a few European investment banks like HSBC.
Take a look at your top investment banking firms in France below.
JP Morgan
JP Morgan is one of the biggest multinational financial services firms in the world. Although it’s an American company with headquarters in New York City, it has multiple offices across the globe, including France. The bank serves major clients including governments, corporations, NGOs, and business leaders. This allows you to interact with the giants in Europe.
One of the reasons JP Morgan stands out as an employer is the benefits they offer. Besides advantages like a good salary, wellness packages, and health benefits that extend to the family, they also pay their employees to volunteer in their communities. So, if you’d like to get paid for making a difference in the world, JP Morgan may be a good fit. Also, it’s a diverse workplace where you’ll meet and interact with people from different backgrounds.
👉 Explore our JPMorgan Interview Guide to kick-start your career at this prestigious firm.
Goldman Sachs
Just like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs is also an American financial institution with an office in Paris. The bank prides itself on hiring the most skilled financial experts, making it a great environment for learning about investment banking.
Like with other bulge bracket firms, you may also gain global exposure since the bank works with major clients and does cross-border transactions.
In terms of compensation, the company reviews employees' salaries annually, although this is determined by multiple factors, including the company’s performance. For people looking to start a family, the company goes the extra mile and offers stipends for surrogacy, egg donation, egg retrieval, and child adoption.
👉 To find out more about the recruiting process, check out our Goldman Sachs Interview Guide.
Morgan Stanley
Another bulge bracket firm with a global reach and strong M&A and capital markets groups is Morgan Stanley. Within the French market, the bank focuses on several industries including healthcare, technology, and financial services. So, you'll probably find a sector-group or deal that interests you.
Morgan Stanley France investment bankers often transition to prestigious private equity firms, hedge funds, or corporate roles. Exits to mega-funds are quite common due to the firm's strong reputation.
👉 Interested in joining this prestigious firm? Read our Morgan Stanley Interview Guide to ace your interviews and stand out!
Bank of America (BOFA) Securities
BOFA Securities is part of Bank of America, a major financial institution worldwide, and it focuses on investment banking. It’s also a bulge bracket firm so you’ll be part of a global brand.
As a graduate, you can either apply for an entry-level position or start as an intern. Either way, the company offers great opportunities to advance your skills through a welcoming onboarding experience, supportive mentorship, training, networking opportunities, and an inclusive environment.
👉 We’ve also put together a comprehensive Bank of America Interview Guide to help you prepare confidently and make a great impression!
Citigroup
If you want to transition to prestigious private equity firms or other investment banks, Citigroup can be a good pick as well. It has a good presence in France, particularly in capital markets and advisory services.
Citigroup has a diverse client base, including multinational corporations and governments. This means you may get exposure to high profile deals. Another thing that makes it an attractive option for graduates is the extensive training program offered.
👉 Prepare for your Citigroup interview with our detailed Citigroup Interview Guide!
Barclays
Barclays has a global footprint with a significant presence in France and is actively involved in European markets. You can expect to see a full suite of investment banking services including M&A advisory, ECM, DCM, and restructuring. But the bank focuses on private equity, consumer, and technology sectors.
And when you want to exit, you can go to private equity firms or corporate roles, with opportunities for both mega-fund and middle-market exits.
UBS
Like other bulge bracket firms, UBS engages in large transactions, often above $1 billion, but also participates in smaller deals under $100 million. It is particularly recognized for its wealth management and investment banking services.
In the IB sector, UBS services include M&A advisory, equity capital markets (ECM), debt capital markets (DCM), and restructuring. You may also get global exposure here as UBS has offices in major cities, including Paris, and is active across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank is a German bank that also falls in the bulge bracket category. But there are debates about its position especially in recent years. The bank offers various services including mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory, capital raising, risk management, and trading across asset classes.
The bank has about 1,381 branches across five continents and is still growing. This offers graduates exposure to international markets. Also, because it offers multiple services, you have options on what group to specialize in. For instance, you can choose M&A or capital markets. Before deciding where to specialize, their graduate program will expose you to different projects that help you develop your skills.
While bulge bracket banks dominate the global stage, boutique and regional firms play an equally important role, offering specialized expertise and unique opportunities. These banks often focus on specific industries, mid-market transactions, or local clients, providing a more tailored approach to investment banking. If you're looking for hands-on experience, closer collaboration with senior bankers, and exposure to niche markets, the following banks might be the perfect fit for you:
BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas ranks as France’s best-performing bank. It’s one of the largest banks in France and a global financial leader, operating in five continents and 63 countries. The investment bank has various subsidiaries specializing in different areas like Securities Services and BNP Paribas Real Estate, so it’s important to select the right one when going for an investment banking career path.
Their banking and investment department provides different services including M&A advisory, capital markets, and financing solutions. BNP Paribas has a solid graduate program that promotes mentorship and hands-on experience. That said, some former employees admit that the workload is quite a lot.
BNP is known for its investment banking services and commitment to supporting the energy transition. This initiative incentivizes businesses to invest in sustainable and environmentally friendly projects.
Bryan, Garnier & Co
This is a full-service boutique investment bank mostly specializing in M&A and growth financing. Consider applying to Bryan if you want to focus on mergers and acquisitions. The bank is always hiring at all levels in all their divisions.
Also, their goal is to invest in their employees and empower them to be creative problem solvers and effective communicators.
Crédit Mutuel Group
Although Crédit Mutuel Group operates mostly as a cooperative bank, it also specializes in investment banking. Some employees claim that the company has great benefits, reasonable sick leave policies, and solid pension plans. Because of this, most people feel at home working here. Unfortunately, this can make it hard for you to move up the ladder quickly because fluctuation is rather low.
Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole Group started in 1885 as a small bank that mostly served small farmers. After a while, the French government stepped in, helping the bank develop further. Today, it’s the second-largest bank in France and one of the top investment banks in Europe. The bank offers a multitude of investment banking services including M&A, project financing, and risk management, to industries like infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and real estate.
Credit Agricole is also known for its focus on sustainable financing solutions. This means they finance environmentally friendly projects like renewable energy or projects with positive social impact like affordable housing access. If you’re interested in an environmentally conscious investment bank, you might just be a good fit for this one.
HSBC
HSBC, is a British investment banking group with offices in France. According to LinkedIn, it’s considered one of the top employers in Europe. HSBC offers its employees learning opportunities to allow them to grow in their careers. They do this through online learning, classroom programs, and on-the-job experiences.
Jefferies
Another strong player in the French investment banking market is Jefferies. It's more of a boutique investment banking firm that is well known for its focus on mid-market transactions.
You can expect a more entrepreneurial culture at Jefferies, with opportunities to work closely with senior bankers on significant deals.
Lazard
Lazard is usually an appealing choice for aspiring investment bankers in France. This is often due to its long-standing presence in Paris since 1854, prestige as an elite boutique bank, opportunities for professional growth, and competitive pay packages.
In terms of groups, Lazard has options like M&A, debt restructuring, and equity capital markets (ECM) services.
Exit opportunities for Lazard bankers often lead to mega-fund private equity (PE) positions, though exits to middle-market funds, other banks, and corporate roles are also common.
Natixis
This investment bank is a subsidiary of the BPCE Group. With its headquarters in Paris, the company has multiple branches in about 30 countries. In terms of investment banking, the bank serves multiple entities by offering services like M&A advisory, equity capital markets, and debt capital markets. They also serve a wide variety of clients including corporations, financial institutions, family offices, and supra-national entities. This provides graduates with exposure to high-profile transactions.
Natixis is recognized for developing the Green Weighting Factor, a tool that assesses the climate impact of its clients. As a result, most of their clients are incentivized to adapt to practices that contribute to a low-carbon economy. This is a plus for graduates who are passionate about creating a sustainable world.
Rothschild & Co
Rothschild & Co. is a prestigious investment bank, dating back over 200 years. It’s mostly known for its mergers and acquisitions unit but the company offers other investment banking services, including wealth management and global advisory.
The company prides itself in treating employees as individuals. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, they discover your goals and help you achieve them through coaching and development opportunities.
Rothschild & Co. also offers various benefits including retirement planning, medical advocacy services that cover employees' family members, on-site fitness facilities, and generous leave allowances. With the investment banking industry being a demanding field, the company has various wellness services to support your well-being. They also have a few student and graduate opportunities to help you get started in the field.
Société Générale
This investment bank is also called Soc Gen and has been around for almost 200 years. It was founded in 1864 and started as a small bank, only serving individual clients and small businesses. Since then, it has grown and now boasts about 126,000 staff across 65 countries. Just like Crédit Agricole, SocGen prides itself in offering sustainable financing solutions. Graduates looking for a bank that supports environmentally friendly solutions will find SocGen quite appealing.
SocGen has a graduate program for recent graduates or students in their final year to help them grow their skills and network. It also gives access to international career opportunities which can be exciting for someone looking to explore the world.
If you want to learn more about investment banks globally and get a general overview, check out our article on the top investment banks worldwide.
If you want to find out more about other specific regions and markets, start here:
👉 Top Investment Banks in Germany
👉 Top Investment Banks in the UK
👉 Top Investment Banks in the USA
Different investment banking firms have different recruitment processes. But generally, they include an online application, assessments, phone screening, several rounds of interviews, and finally a job offer.
Here’s what you can expect.
Application and CV Screening
Once you narrow down the investment banks you want to work for, check if they have openings on their websites. From there, you will submit an online application which includes your CV and other personal details. Banks look at your academic excellence, technical and soft skills, and extracurricular activities.
Online Assessments
If your application goes through, you may have to do online assessment tests. Investment banks use a series of tests to assess your personality, skills, and motivations. These assessments often come in various forms like verbal, numerical, and logical reasons.
Each bank may use different tests, so it’s important to prepare as most candidates are rejected at this stage due to their scores.
Video or In-Person Interview
Once you pass the online assessments, you may get a phone interview or receive an invitation for an in-person or video interview. Note that most banks do more than one round of interviews.
In this stage, you’ll get a series of questions that test if you’re the right fit for the company. Besides technical questions that may involve verbal deal-based case studies. Also be prepared for behavioral or fit questions.
Offer
If the interviewers think you’re a good fit for the firm, you will get a job offer after the interviews. It can take two weeks to a month to hear back from the company after your last interview. So, be a bit patient. However, if you don’t hear back after about four weeks or the timeline the interviewer gives you, it’s generally a good idea to send a check up email.
When finding the right firm to work for, you have to consider several factors and how they align with your career and personal goals. This makes the decision-making process much easier. Here are some strategies to help you make the right call.
👉 For a comprehensive overview, check out our article on salaries in investment banking.
If you’re looking to break into IB in France, consider starting with the options we have given. The top investment banking firms in France include Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Barclays, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Jefferies, HSBC, Lazard, Natixis, Rothschild, and Société Générale.
You may also want to network by attending conferences, alumni events, or career fairs for insider tips and gaining a competitive edge. Academic excellence is great, but combining it with networking can help propel you towards an investment bank you have been eyeing.
