-
BackWhat we doNumis is an ambitious, dynamic and innovative investment bank, driven to excel across all aspects of its delivery.Investment Banking
-
BackLatest newsRead the latest news about our business, our people and our work, find out about our next events and conferences.News
-
BackWho we areOur collaborative environment and distinctive way of excelling , is nothing without our great people.
-
BackOur board
Numis at a glance
Our Articles
28
Mar 2024
31
Jan 2024
Latest Transactions
London Stock Exchange Group PLC
£1.4bn
Co-global coordinator on the £1.4 billion sell-down of the London Stock Exchange Group PLC
March 2024
Custodian Property Income REIT
£237m
Sole financial adviser, sponsor and corporate broker
January 2024
Numis On Twitter
INN Conversation with Melanie Saluja
In the latest in our INN Conversation series, we spoke with Melanie Saluja, Managing Director and one of our most senior female employees in investment banking, to find out about her unique role on the team, her career journey to date and her thoughts on senior female representation in the industry.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m a Managing Director in investment banking here at Numis. I’m fortunate to have a unique role in the organisation, providing strategic advice across sectors and products and working with clients on a wide range of projects. I really enjoy the variety of my role and the opportunity to work with different people day-to-day.
I’ve worked in the industry for more than twenty years, and over that time I’ve gained deep experience across a number of specialisms, from corporate finance and M&A to IPOs and equity capital markets. I find that broad experience often allows me to bring a different perspective to the work we do for our clients.
I started my career in investment banking straight after university, having studied for a degree in engineering.
Investment banking was always my main career choice – the nature of the work, the interesting clients, the wide range of projects and the link with the world’s financial markets make for a very exciting combination!
The industry has been everything and more than I expected. It’s a dynamic environment to work in and I’m grateful for the new challenges and opportunities each day brings.
How you found the culture in the investment banking industry, and at Numis?
Contrary to some of the stereotypes of investment banking, I’ve found that people are always keen to support each other and to bring the next generation on. I’ve had many helpful mentors over the years, from the early days of my career to the present day. And since I’ve been fortunate to have had lots of inspiring people to learn from over the years, I try to make a concerted effort to support others in the same way.
Numis has a great working culture. Being a smaller organisation compared to others where I worked previously, I find the style of operating very different (in a good way) and more personal.
As a senior woman in the industry, what are your thoughts on the representation of women in investment banking?
I think the industry does well at attracting women into early career roles – there are so many great female graduates who are interested in finance. We certainly see a strong pipeline of excellent female talent at Numis.
However, retention of talented women does need to remain a focus across the investment banking sector – and beyond. It’s in senior roles where I think women are particularly underrepresented, and the industry as a whole is losing out on valuable experience that could benefit our teams and our clients.
As an industry, it would be great to see continued focus on the practical steps that can be taken to help address this gap. For example, to see it become easier for women to return to their careers after a break. Hopefully, more flexible working patterns post-covid will also start to make a difference to retaining women in the industry in the near future.
What advice would you give to people considering a career in investment banking?
If you are interested in finance and also in working with people, this a great industry to work in. There are so many different facets to investment banking and each is interesting in a different way. Don’t hesitate!
Our services
Numis is an ambitious, dynamic and innovative investment bank, driven to excel across all aspects of its delivery.
