Episode 8 of the Merger Talks Podcast is now live!

We sat down with Vitoria Okuyama, who went from playing professional tennis, and being ranked 118th in the world, to working as an Investment Banking Analyst at Citi.

After 3 months of consecutive 4am finishes, Vitoria experienced burnout which eventually led to her leaving Wall Street.

In this episode we talk about burnout; how it manifests itself, how to recognise it, and also potential solutions to the problem.

Episode 7 of the Merger Talks Podcast is now live!

We sat down with Tom Lindsay, CEO of Spayne Lindsay. Tom co-founded the firm, a Consumer focused M&A boutique, in 2004 alongside his business partner, John Spayne. Prior to setting up the firm they had both been Consumer bankers at Lehman Brothers.

We covered a variety of topics including:

• The differences between the Investment Banking business model in Europe and the US.
• How to set up an M&A boutique for succession.
• Why Private Equity is less active in the consumer market today.

Episode 6 of the Merger Talks Podcast is now live!

We sat down with James West, Managing Director at Bourne Partners and former Managing Director at Lincoln International. James has worked in Investment Banking for 15 years after completing a degree in Pharmacy. He specialises in advising clients in the Life Sciences and Pharma Services industry.

We covered a variety of topics including:

- The secret to a successful pitch.
- What is it like working in New York compared to London.
- What is happening in the Pharma Services industry.
- Tips to successfully run 16.5 marathons!