Investment Banking Vice President - Private Capital Markets

As a Vice President in William Blair's newly established European Private Capital Markets team, you will play a central role in advising high-growth, technology-driven businesses on raising private capital to fund their next stage of expansion. You will help target and close new engagements, lead the execution of private capital raises and serve as a trusted day-to-day advisor to founders, management teams and investors across Europe's most dynamic growth companies. You will be based in Amsterdam and will oversee this office’s PCM team.

You will combine deep technical execution capability with a genuine passion for technology and disruptive business models. You will help drive origination of new clients, coordinate key pitches, execute in-depth analyses for complex transactions, provide direction on financial and valuation work to junior staff, opine on transaction structuring, and build lasting relationships with senior management of client companies and key stakeholders within the European investor ecosystem.

Responsibilities include but may not be limited to:

• Assist in the targeting, origination and closing of new private capital raising opportunities, with a particular focus on growth-stage technology and technology-enabled businesses.
• Participate in pitching William Blair's Private Capital Markets capabilities to founders and investors, leveraging a strong understanding of technology trends, equity story positioning and capital markets dynamics.
• Lead and execute private capital transactions end-to-end, including growth equity raises, minority and majority recapitalisations, private placements and structured equity for growth-stage companies.
• Build and maintain relationships with the broader private capital investor universe (growth equity funds, crossover investors, family offices, sovereign and strategic capital). Consistently exceed client expectations and act as the day-to-day client contact for questions, comments, inputs and deal-related matters.
• Suggest innovative approaches for due diligence, research and analysis. Anticipate and address the needs of senior team members and proactively identify probable deal issues, providing thoughtful perspective on resolution.
• Review all analyst and associate work for consistency, correctness and formatting, taking responsibility for client materials and reports.
• Provide thought leadership to streamline processes and improve efficiency and effectiveness. Provide ongoing guidance to improve team performance.
• Act as lead "on the job" trainer for associates and analysts, providing constructive feedback. Articulate the roles and objectives for junior team members, share relevant deal and client context, and provide motivation and guidance for the team.
• Help build the culture and infrastructure of a new team, actively participating in recruiting and training activities.
• Ensure all activities are in compliance with applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Prior investment banking, growth equity, venture or private capital markets experience required; 3+ years at Associate level (or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• Demonstrable experience raising private capital for growth-stage businesses, including growth equity, private placements, structured equity or private debt is strongly preferred.
• A genuine passion for technology, innovation and disruptive business models, with the curiosity to develop deep conviction across technology and technology-enabled sub-sectors.
• First-hand experience of modelling cap tables including waterfall analyses of complex preference rights.
• Detail oriented with deep analytical abilities.
• Superior mathematical, writing, verbal and computer skills.
• Ability to adapt to new tasks with little notice.
• Ability to manage the expectations of senior bankers while working on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Effective leadership and coaching skills.
• Ability to lead transaction processes and pitch new business with moderate senior banker oversight.
• Strong desire to win, combined with the entrepreneurial drive to help build a new team.
• Sound judgement; remains calm and focused under pressure.
• Expertise in accounting and finance, and comfort valuing high-growth, capital-intensive businesses.
• Exhibits creativity and originality in approach to analysis and work product.
• Travel required: approximately 20 to 40%.

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