Sector Practices
Investment Banking Executive Search in London
Managing Director and coverage team hires for mid-market and boutique banks
Phoenix Search runs retained executive search for investment banks and advisory firms hiring in London. Much of our work is for mid-market and boutique advisory firms building sector and product coverage, and for global banks adding senior coverage where it matters most. We hire Managing Directors, Directors, coverage teams and the leaders who run the platform behind them.
For a boutique, one senior hire can add a sector, a product or a set of sponsor relationships. In one search, a leading UK mid-market advisory firm retained Phoenix to find a senior leader who could open up private equity deal flow and position the firm with the funds it wanted to work with.
Senior bankers are rarely on the market. They carry deferred compensation, client relationships and restrictive covenants, and a move has to be structured with care on both sides, including regulatory references under the FCA’s Senior Managers and Certification Regime. We also search in New York and Dublin, so every London shortlist is tested against the wider market.
How we run a London banking search
We map coverage, not CVs. We map London teams by sector, product and client, so we know who covers the companies and sponsors you want and who is open to a conversation.
We test franchise portability. Revenue track record, client relationships and how a banker’s business will travel are assessed before anyone reaches your shortlist.
We run team moves quietly. Where a coverage team is the right answer, we plan the legal, compensation and timing issues with you from day one and keep the process confidential.
We manage the move. Deferred compensation buyouts, garden leave and regulatory references are planned from the start, so an accepted offer becomes a realistic start date.
Roles we search for in London
- Managing Directors and Directors in industry coverage and M&A
- Financial sponsors coverage and private equity relationship leaders
- Heads of ECM, DCM, leveraged finance and debt advisory
- Partners and Heads of Corporate Finance at mid-market and boutique advisory firms
- Vice Chairmen and senior advisers
- COOs, CFOs and platform leaders for banks and advisory firms
- Coverage team moves, handled with full confidentiality
See also our investment banking executive search practice across London, New York and Dublin, and our private capital work with the sponsors your bankers cover.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work with boutique and mid-market advisory firms in London?
Yes, as well as global investment banks. Many of our searches are for advisory firms building out sector, product or sponsor coverage.
Do you handle team moves?
Yes. We run team hires confidentially and plan the legal, compensation and timing issues with you from day one.
How long does a senior banking search take?
Allow 12 to 16 weeks to an accepted offer. Garden leave for senior bankers is often three to six months, sometimes longer, so plan start dates early.
Do you search outside London for London roles?
Yes. We search across London, New York and Dublin, including senior bankers open to relocating, so the shortlist reflects the best available candidates rather than only the local market.
