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Want to attract good underwriters? Consider paying more… Many carriers are struggling amid older worker retirements, a dearth of new entrants, competition fora relatively small talent pool and a resurgence of counteroffers designed to keep star teammembers from departing. “These positions are certainly in demand and looking forward it will probably continue,” saidAlan Johnson, managing…

U.S. investment banks are poised to cut more jobs if economic uncertainty continues to weigh on dealmaking in the months ahead, according to analysts and recruiters. Larger banks are quicker to reduce headcount, while boutiques could follow later, said Chris Connors, principal of Johnson Associates, a compensation consultant. “If the pipeline does not materialize quickly,…

The US bank saw ‘significantly higher’ compensation costs in 2024 for its London-headquartered bank. Investment banks have rewarded their dealmakers as fees bounced back after two years of slumping revenue. Wall Street banks increased bonuses by up to 35% for 2024, with debt underwriters receiving the biggest boost, according to compensation consultants Johnson Associates. Financial…

Senior investment bankers are being offered lucrative pay packets that will keep them at their firms for years. Can they stave off the appeal of private credit and private equity? Top executives at some of the leading Wall Street, European and boutique investment banks have been handed retention packages worth tens of millions of dollars…

Investment banking activity had picked up in recent months, with Wall Street executives cheering the business-friendly tone of President Donald Trump’s administration. But U.S. mergers and acquisition activity in the first two months of 2025 has seen just 1,603 deals signed through Friday, making it the slowest pace by volume since 2009, Dealogic data showed.…

Bankers are feeling short-changed despite a year of stellar profits While the 2024 bonus round has brought cheer to many bankers, not all were rewarded in a buoyant year for investment banking fees. “This was the year when money moved upwards, rather than the hyper-focus on juniors as in previous years,” said Alan Johnson, founder…

Bonuses have been down since 2021 because of lackluster demand for mergers and capital raising.This year, investment bankers and traders are expecting bonuses to tick up — the comp consultant Johnson Associates expects increases of as much as 35% — thanks to a bounce in deal flow that’s predicted to ramp up. Business Insider /…

Bonuses in the financial services industry were expected to soar anywhere from 5% to 35%, the best performance since 2021, a report by Johnson Associates found. “The economy was much better, and then markets were up dramatically,” said Alan Johnson, the company’s founder, explaining why bonuses were expected to surge. “I think people were expecting…

Insurance companies have largely performed well against their benchmarks and peers this year thanks to revenue and premium growth, as strong economy, and lower inflation. As a result, insurance professionals could receive 2024 bonuses that are 5% to 10% higher, on average, than last year, according to Alan Johnson, managing director of Johnson Associates. Bonus…

“There’s a more optimistic environment in private equity and financial services in general, but we’re not seeing it translate immediately into staffing build-outs,” said Chris Connors, a principal at compensation consulting firm Johnson Associates. “We’re seeing tepid hiring, with head counts flattish.” In a Nov. 12 report, Johnson Associates said 2024 bonuses in private equity…