Centerview Partners is among the hottest investment banking boutiques out there. Over the past year, it’s lifted a whole team out of UBS, hired other big-hitting investment bankers and so far in 2015 is ranked sixth for M&A globally. It may be comparatively small, but within its niche, it’s a big hitter.
As well as the high-profile hires, Centerview has been bolstering its junior ranks in the past few months. What does it take to get into the boutique? We’ve analysed the profiles of the new recruits – some have banking experience, some are graduate recruits, but all are analysts. Like bulge bracket banks, Centerview likes juniors with multiple internships and impeccable academics.
1. Alexander Marechal-Ross
Alexander joined Centreview in January from lawyers Linklaters, where he worked on M&A, restructuring and leveraged finance deals for two years. Before this, he spent a year as a tutor. Alexander has both a first class law degree and a finance and economics degree from the University of Sydney and speaks fluent French.
2. Alexander Gill
Alexander was a second year analyst at Barclays until he joined Centerview earlier this year. He gained experience in M&A, leveraged finance and equity capital markets and his current role at Centerview involves both M&A and restructuring advisory work. Before joining Barclays he interned at the British bank (twice), as well as Credit Suisse’s private banking arm.
He has a degree in economics and philosophy, financial economics and metaphysics from the University of Nottingham. Alexander also has a long list of scholarships and awards including a gold Duke of Edinburgh award.
3. Tomas Kemtys
Tomas joined Centerview after just seven months working as a FIG analyst within BNP Paribas’ corporate finance division, which he joined after a summer internship at SocGen. He also has a number of other internships under his belt, including stints at SEB and BP.
Tomas has an MSc in Finance from ESADE Business School and a first class degree in economics from University of Glasgow. There he was part of the Adam Smith Economics Society and the Trading and Investment club. He also plays basketball at an elite level.
4. Nikhail Nayar
Nikhail is a new graduate recruit within the investment banking division of Centerview. Before joining he secured a number of internships at larger institutions – an autumn internship at J.P. Morgan, a summer at Macquarie and (the year before) at Investec. He has an MSc Finance from HEC and a 2.1 in Medical Sciences with Management from Imperial College London. While at university, he got involved with charity work and counselling, as well as editing the student newspaper.