Vanessa Parr

We sat down with Paul, Vice President Software Investment Banking in our Paris office to discuss his five years at Bryan, Garnier & Co.

You’ve been at Bryan, Garnier & Co for the last five years. How have your roles and responsibilities evolved, and how has this contributed to your personal and professional growth?

Paul: As a junior at Bryan Garnier, I was already developing very interesting skills, both technical and soft. One of the key advantages of working here is the hands-on nature of the interaction with managers and clients. As I progressed in my career path going from an Associate and now as a Vice President, I have evolved into a more client-facing role. I am really representing the firm with our clients and leading the process from A to Z, as well as having the opportunity to manage teams.

What has been a memorable project that you’ve worked on during your time here, and how do you think that this has impacted the company and the community?

We recently advised Diapason and its shareholders on the disposal of the company to PSG, which is a European growth equity fund. I was involved in the process from pitch to closing and managed the customer’s relationship throughout the entire process, as well as the junior team, who did an excellent job in a tight timeframe. The shareholders had a positive outcome, both in terms of what they expected to get at closing and the company going forward with the new shareholders.

What are some of the fundamental skills or personal qualities that you need to deal with challenges that come up in your line of work?

The interesting part of being an investment banker is that you must combine both highly technical skills and soft skills, and all within a challenging time frame, which is a key component of investment banking. At the same time, we manage the client relationship and ensure that the relationship evolves in the right manner, and make sure that all stakeholders involved in the process are always satisfied. Throughout the process, you get the chance to learn about a new company, a new market environment, and new investors. It’s really a mix of a lot of things that make it so attractive, especially for dynamic people who really want to learn on an everyday basis and be challenged.

“It’s really a mix of a lot of things that make it so attractive, especially for dynamic people who really want to learn on an everyday basis and be challenged.”

What makes you stay at Bryan Garnier?

I would say the way we specialise on a specific sector – since it is my specialisation, I’m going to talk about software. I’ve always wanted to dive into that environment from the early stages of my career, and it’s one of the unique investment banks in Paris and in Europe where you really get the opportunity to focus on a specific sector and really learn about it 360 degrees. So this means being involved on landmark transactions while specialising in your specific area of expertise, which is highly gratifying.

What advice would you give to new joiners at Bryan Garnier?

Be bold. You have to understand that anything is possible when you join Bryan Garnier in terms of what you want to work on, who you want to work with, and how you want to be involved. Whether you want to focus on buyout, private placements or IPOs, you will be given that opportunity. It’s really a key part of the company culture, and it’s something that everyone should leverage on to really thrive in our environment.

“…anything is possible when you join Bryan Garnier in terms of what you want to work on, who you want to work with, and how you want to be involved”