Investment Banking Salary 2009

It is investment banks’ bonus period. So let’s talk about money. In Hong Kong, UBS is said to have cut most of their bankers bonus by 95% comparing to that was paid last year.

Many might doubt in the current financial turmoil that if investment banking is still a tempting job for making big money. Asia Pacific is a dynamic and aggressive market for those who are targeting big. So let’s take a look at what money are the bankers here making. Let’s take Hong Kong as an example.

In our knowledge (among banking headhunters and banking insiders), here is an indication of how much bankers made as of January 2009.

Corporate Finance
Analyst (1-3 years of experience): US$77K – 103K
Associate (3-5 years of experience): US$103K - $128K

Equity Research
Analyst (1-3 years of experience): US$39K – 62K
Associate (3-5 years of experience): US$77K - $103K

These numbers represent annual base salary and guaranteed bonuses. Bankers in Hong Kong make the most comparing to Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo. Of course the actual number you make will depend on variables like qualifications, experience level, company size, industry sector and job scopes.

So are these numbers attractive? Well, they might not be as attractive as previously. But comparing with entry roles in other fields, it doesn’t look bad at all.

Investment Banking Salary