Jonathan Lee
Job Title: Financial Analyst, Corporate Finance
Education: BA—Philosophy, Politics, and Economics—King’s College London; MSc—Management—Imperial College London
While earning my master’s, I undertook an internship with one of Houlihan Lokey’s main competitors. From this, I knew Houlihan Lokey had a good reputation and deal flow, and I worked opposite them in various transactions. I was impressed with the quality
of the people I met; they seemed both intelligent and considerate, so I decided to apply.
Working in an independent investment bank means more responsibility and exposure to the entire deal process. I have friends in larger banks, and they don’t seem to get the same level of exposure. On the other hand, Houlihan Lokey is also big enough to
have a global platform; it combines the best of both worlds.
I work in the Consumer, Food & Retail Group, where we mostly advise companies on M&A transactions. As a Financial Analyst, you are the engine of the deal team, keeping things moving along and making sure seniors get all the material and analysis they
need. You conduct financial analysis, create marketing materials, deal with logistics and due diligence, and act as an intermediary between client requests and the other advisors. Most of the work you produce, even at the most basic level, will go
to the client and could even be circulated at a wider industry level.
For an investment bank, the culture is very laid-back. Though we are high achievers, the environment is not overly competitive; we have a very collaborative culture.