“One of the key differences between my previous jobs and Arma has been the volume of deal flow.  Within my first year I had worked on three announced deals.”

Charles has an undergraduate degree in History from the University of Oxford.  He previously worked in investment banking at NOR Capital and Deutsche Bank.

Carving my career path 

The great thing about studying History at university was that I was able to keep my options open. I did various insight programmes and summer internships and, despite having a degree in History, the world of banking recruits from a wide variety of different backgrounds within the UK and internationally.

The boutique lifestyle  

Having started my career working for a bulge-bracket bank covering natural resources, I then experienced life at the opposite end of the spectrum at a micro boutique. For a long time, I knew I wanted to move into TMT and, having done some research, it became clear that by far and away the best choice was Arma. What appealed to me about Arma was its the reputation and momentum, having done so many high-profile deals. In terms of culture and temperament, it combined the best of the bulge-bracket banks and the smaller boutiques.

Expectations vs Reality 

One of the key differences between my previous jobs and Arma has been the volume of deal flow. Within my first year I had worked on three announced deals. One was a cross-border deal in Eastern Europe. Another was a high-tempo sell-side process in the web hosting space, competing with a similar asset being sold at the same time. They’ve all had their different dynamics which make them special and add value, not only to me and my career, but also to the firm.

The balance between origination and live mandates is definitely something that Arma’s got going for it. Of course, it’s a lot of work, but it’s much more gratifying to work on something that’s actually happening and gets done.