Posts by Bryan Liou
Financial Services Compensation Webcast November 2026
Location: Virtual On Tuesday, November 10 at 11:00 AM ET, Johnson Associates presented its annual Financial Services Compensation Briefing. Founder and Managing Director Alan Johnson provided projections for 2026 year-end incentives, while covering key trends and topics to be cognizant of in the coming years with the backdrop of AI, a movement to retail, and the potential…
Read MoreWall Street Bonuses Could Rise by 30%, Says Johnson Associates
Despite a choppier third quarter, year-end incentive pools are expected to increase across financial services, with major banks and hedge funds leading the way. Managing Director, Chris Connors, discussed Johnson Associates’ views on compensation estimates and the forces driving compensation higher in 2026 with Dani Burger and Isabelle Lee on Bloomberg Television.
Read More3rd Quarter 2026
Johnson Associates projects year-end incentives to be broadly positive across sectors. Trends & Projections: Major banks lead the way driven by equity trading / underwriting. Hedge fund inflows and volatility propel gains. Traditional asset management higher on market appreciation. Private markets strategies diverge on fundraising and mixed returns. AI “bubble” and interest rate concerns into…
Read MoreGetting Leadership Transition Right in Private Equity
Written in collaboration with Bain & Company, Johnson Associates examines founder succession in private equity and how firms can position themselves for long-term success. The publication explores how firms can navigate ownership transitions, align leadership and compensation structures, and maintain investor confidence while preparing the next generation of leaders. Johnson Associates and Bain & Company…
Read MoreAI Skills Overtake Ivy League in Private Capital Hiring Wishlist
Artificial intelligence isn’t just transforming how and where private capital firms invest money. It’s also starting to alter the ways they measure staff performance and reward the high-flyers on their payrolls. AI proficiency is now a core requirement for many roles in private markets, according to Chris Connors, managing director at compensation consulting firm Johnson…
Read MorePrivate Equity’s Path to Riches Is Getting Harder to Follow
Dealmakers are missing out on the personal windfalls they used to score by hitting investing home runs. Banking has become an increasingly attractive alternative. Many aspiring private equity professionals start out with a two-year stint in investment banking, updating deal pitch decks until the wee hours of the morning. That means banking has long been…
Read MoreSearching Smarter: Financial Services Pay is Up in 2026
Johnson Associates Managing Directors Bryan Liou and Chris Connors recently spoke with Jesse Skaff at Selby Jennings’ podcast, Searching Smarter: The Financial Services Career & Hiring Podcast to discuss compensation trends in 2026 in the recent episode entitled, Financial Services Pay is Up in 2026. Here’s How to Take Advantage.
Read MoreBanks Fight for Top Dealmakers as Talent Pool Starts to Dry Up
A surge in dealmaker hiring this year has left senior bankers fearing a talent shortage in the City, while others are wary that the recruitment splurge could leave teams over-staffed if the boom in deals slows. Bonuses for dealmakers are expected to jump by up to 30% in 2026, according to Wall Street compensation consultants Johnson Associates, after…
Read MoreAs Bank Bonuses Soar, PE’s Biggest Firms Play Catch-up
End-of-year bonuses for private equity professionals are likely to be higher at larger managers compared to midsized and small buyout shops, as banks’ blowout earnings put pressure on PE firms to keep pace on pay, according to projections from compensation consultant Johnson Associates. The jump is due, in part, to mounting competition for talent between…
Read MoreWall Street is Set for a Bonus Boom. Big Banks Have the Edge.
Wall Street is reveling in a year of mega deals, a surging stock market, and a continuing AI frenzy. The latest signal is a 2026 bonus boom expected to spill across most corners of finance, according to Johnson Associates. “Banks, at least for now, are leading the pack,” said Alan Johnson, founder of the Wall Street…
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