Standard Chartered has announced a significant expansion of its corporate and investment banking division, with plans to hire around 25 new bankers focused on financial sponsors — marking one of the bank’s most ambitious recruitment efforts in recent years.
The recruitment drive is aimed at strengthening the bank’s relationships with private equity firms, asset managers, and other institutional investors, as part of a broader strategy to increase its revenue from financial institutions and reposition its investment banking presence in key global markets.
Strategic Hires Across Global Hubs
The new roles will be primarily based in New York, with additional appointments in London and Dubai. This includes the recruitment of a Global Head of Financial Sponsors, a senior leadership position tasked with overseeing the entire expansion effort and reporting directly to the bank’s co-heads of Financial Institution Coverage.
According to sources at the bank, the team expansion is expected to be completed over the next two quarters and will focus on both client coverage and deal origination in the private capital space.
A senior executive at the bank, speaking to Financial News London, said:
“Our goal is to deepen our sponsor coverage capabilities and enhance the value we deliver to institutional clients. This is a long-term investment in our people, our platform, and our commitment to growth in high-value sectors.”
A Shift Towards Sponsor-Led Business
Financial sponsor coverage has become an increasingly competitive area for investment banks in recent years, as private equity continues to dominate the dealmaking landscape globally. By building out this capability, Standard Chartered is positioning itself to capture more advisory and financing business related to leveraged buyouts, refinancing, and fund-level deals.
The move comes as other global banks have either trimmed or consolidated their investment banking teams in response to volatile deal volumes. Standard Chartered, by contrast, is using this moment to scale up and diversify its institutional coverage — especially in regions where it sees long-term potential.
The bank’s leadership has set a target of increasing the proportion of corporate and investment banking revenue coming from financial institutions from 50% to 60% by the end of 2026. This recruitment campaign is seen as a key step in reaching that milestone.
Broader Recruitment Trends in Financial Services
Standard Chartered’s hiring plans come amid mixed signals in the wider financial recruitment market. While deal volumes remain subdued globally compared to the post-pandemic boom, banks with a strong capital position are beginning to selectively hire in growth areas, such as private capital, infrastructure, and green finance.
The bank’s decision to build out its financial sponsors team contrasts with some rivals that have recently announced job cuts or hiring freezes, particularly in M&A advisory.
Industry analysts say the move reflects a broader shift towards relationship-driven growth, where building deeper client engagement — rather than chasing transaction volume — is becoming the new priority.
Diversity and Global Talent
The expansion also raises questions about how Standard Chartered plans to ensure diversity and inclusion within its new team. While the bank has made previous public commitments to increasing representation within senior leadership, it has not yet disclosed the demographic goals or inclusion measures linked to this recruitment drive.
A spokesperson said:
“We are committed to recruiting the best talent from across the markets we serve. Inclusion, diversity, and cultural intelligence are integral to how we build teams and deliver value to clients.”
With the hires set to be completed by the end of 2025, the industry will be watching closely to see how Standard Chartered’s investment in people translates into growth, influence, and market share in an evolving investment banking landscape.
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