Columbia Investment Banking Division [CIBD]
Recent Member Placements (2025 - Present)
We introduce our students to the world of investment banking and guide them through every stage along the way to breaking into a career in the industry post-graduation.
We start from the basics of what an investment banker actually does through to teaching core financial concepts.
We offer guidance on navigating the recruiting landscape and connect students with firms across the industry.
Our Initiatives
Foundations of Banking
We seek to provide insight into the following topics and beyond:
- Why do firms pursue strategic M&A activity?
- How do firms raise funds in the capital markets?
- How do we determine the true value of a company?
- What are the differences between a BB and an EB?
Meet the Banks
We partner with leading firms and invite them to campus to help students achieve the following goals:
- Explore the range of professional opportunities
- Build and grow one’s professional network
- Identify teams where one may see a particular fit
- Stay on top of the ever-shifting recruiting processes
Fundamental Education
Beyond the Sunday division meeting, CIBD members participate in a dedicated 90-minute technical education session each week, typically held on Fridays. The curriculum progresses from accounting and valuation fundamentals to financial modeling, mergers and acquisitions, and leveraged buyouts.
The program is led by a member who has interned at Centerview Partners in TMT, with a curriculum developed by members who have interned at Evercore, Perella Weinberg Partners, Goldman Sachs, and J.P. Morgan.
Applied Deal Experience
Members continually reinforce and test their technical knowledge through exercises, questions, and case discussions during weekly meetings. They also apply this training through case studies modeled on the work of investment banking and private equity professionals.
Executive Board Members bring their own industry experience and technical interests to weekly meetings. For example, CIBD recently completed an exclusive bulge bracket recruiting case study, which looked at a retrospective analysis of a leveraged buyout of a space-technology satellite company. Each Analyst and Senior Analyst created three-statement operating models, discounted cash flows, and leveraged buyout models for the analysis. CIBD discussed the investment in a Private Equity Investment-committee (IC) format.
Personalized Recruiting Support
CIBD’s Head of Division and the Head of Placement will work closely with sophomores throughout the investment banking recruiting process, providing individualized guidance, accountability, and support at every stage.
01
Recruiting Strategy
Members develop a personalized recruiting timeline, target-firm list, and networking strategy based on their individual goals and progress.
02
Progress & Preparation
Through regular one-on-one check-ins, leadership tracks networking, applications, and technical drills while providing resources and feedback.
03
Interview Readiness
Members receive resume reviews, behavioral and technical mock interviews, and individualized feedback for each stage of the interview process.
History
Founded in 2012, the Columbia Investment Banking Division [CIBD] was the only undergraduate financial group focused exclusively on the Investment Banking industry. CIBD aimed to prepare students for the Investment Banking industry through highly focused educational and networking opportunities.
