Discover in this article a complete overview of RSB’s prestigious Master in International Finance: teaching methods, international opportunities, career prospects, and more.

At first glance, a merger or acquisition transaction is based on rational elements: quantified synergies, robust financial models, detailed strategic analyses. Yet the history of the markets is full of transactions whose fundamentals appeared irreproachable, but failed later.

Over the past decade, family offices have occupied an increasingly important place in the private investment ecosystem. Long discreet and focused on wealth preservation, these structures have become direct players in private equity transactions, sometimes participating in deals of significant size.

In the collective imagination of business school students, strategy consulting and finance often appear as two distinct, or even opposing, career paths. One is seen as being oriented toward reflection, macroeconomic analysis, and long-term vision, while the other is perceived as more focused on execution, numbers, and transactions.

For several years, the mergers and acquisitions advisory landscape has been undergoing a profound transformation. Alongside large international investment banks and traditional boutiques, a more discreet yet increasingly influential category has emerged: so-called “partner-led” investment banks.

In the universe of private equity, asset management, or infrastructure funds, the choice between an international fund and a domestic fund is a structuring decision for a career in finance. Beyond the size of assets under management or the reputation of the platforms, these two environments offer different professional experiences

Periods of financial crisis have always acted as a revealer. While some investors suffer heavy losses, others manage not only to preserve their capital, but sometimes to achieve their best performances. Conversely, these same investors may appear more restrained during prolonged bull markets.

For many finance students, one of the first structuring decisions concerns career positioning: should one specialise very early in a specific role, or instead build a more generalist path before refining one’s orientation?

A singular figure in European capitalism, Daniel Křetínský has established himself in less than twenty years as one of the most influential and discreet investors on the continent. At the head of an empire built around energy, infrastructure, retail and media, he embodies an approach to private investment based on the long term.

Long perceived as peripheral functions, Investor Relations (IR) teams now occupy a central position within private equity funds. As the industry becomes more structured, regulated, and professionalized, investor relations are becoming a major strategic issue. IR teams are now at the heart of the credibility, growth, and sustainability of management companies.