SURVEY: Technology Prioritized in Investment Banking Innovation Report

A new report, Driving Efficiency and Outcomes in Investment Banking, reveals the need for innovation and collaboration in the investment banking sector to tackle the widespread crisis of operational inefficiency.

• Manual, repetitive tasks remain a critical drain on investment banking efficiency
• 85% of investment bankers and operational leaders agree software is key to meeting this challenge
• Technology will allow the successful navigation of the peaks and troughs of market demand in 2025

The survey of more than 300 investment bankers and operational leaders across the U.S., UK, Australia and East Asia, undertaken by document automation leader UpSlide and outsourcing partner Williams Lea, shows industrywide recognition (92% of investment bankers and operational leaders agree) that a large portion of junior bankers’ time is being wasted on repetitive, manual or ‘low-value’ tasks which is draining productivity.

The tasks identified as having the most significant impact on efficiency are data entry and management (identified by 42% of bankers), financial modelling (43%), and pitch book preparation and editing (25%). Indeed, previous research has shown investment bankers can spend up to 40 hours per week on manual tasks.

When it comes to finding solutions to investment banking’s productivity gap, 85% of investment bankers and operational leaders agree technology is the answer to the huge administration overload. With the M&A market on the rise, half of bankers and operational leaders also believe greater investment in technology is the best protection against the future fluctuations of market demand.