Below is a clean list of London-based boutique investment banks with M&A departments. Boutique investment banks are usually smaller investment banks that specializes in certain types of sectors or companies. They tend to work on smaller deals or niche deals, usually below a billion dollars. Often, they will work on the the sell-side of a deal (i.e. helping sell a company as opposed to helping buy a company). They are good places to consider if you didn't get an offer at the bulge brackets as they are not sensitive to poorer academic records (except for the most prestigious ones) and will be a first good step into investment banking.
- Ambrian Capital London boutique investment bank specialised in Mining, Oil & Gas, Cleantech and Life Sciences
- Arma Partners London-based boutique that focuses exclusively on the Telecom, Media and Technology sectors
- The Blackstone Group Blackstone is not only a private equity firm, they also offer M&A and restructuring advice, and have a well established presence in London
- Boenning & Scattergood Philadelphia headquartered boutique with offices in London
- Brewin Dolphin British Investment Management firm with £23 billion under management, also doing M&A advisory
- Brown Brothers Harriman Oldest and largest private bank in the USA, 4000 thousand staff globally with an increasing focus on investment banking
- Climate Change Capital boutique asset management and corporate finance advisory group
- DC Advisory Partners Formerly Close Brothers, M&A boutique with a strong reputation in the UK and Western Europe
- Hawkpoint UK-based European boutique with good reputation.
- Evercore Partners US Boutique founded by Blackstone and Lehman Brothers alumni, with a growing presence in London
- Evolution Securities UK boutique investment banks focusing on small to medium enterprises
- Execution Noble Boutique headquartered in London, with around 250 professionals and offices in Scotland, the United States, Hong Kong, India, and France
- Gleacher Shacklock Specialist UK boutique of 30 people, based in London
- Greenhill & Company One of the most prestigious US Boutique investment bank, with significant presence in London
- GCA Saavian Boutique investment bank that is the result of the merger between GCA, a Japanese boutique, and Saavian, a US boutique. Developing its presence in the UK.
- Harris Williams & Company Global Boutique Investment bank focusing on the middle market (smaller companies)
- Houlihan Lokey US boutique investment bank with global offices, with a very strong reputation in the restructuring space.
- Liberium Capital London and NY based boutique with about 130 staff, founded by Collin Stewart ex-CEO, with a good track record in M&A.
- Livingstone PartnersMid Market M&A boutique, with good presence in US and Western Europe
- Moelis M&A boutique founded by Ken Moelis, Ex head of Investment Banking at UBS. Strong in the US, has a London office
- Panmure Gordon Boutique investment bank with offices in London and San Francisco, better known for its involvement in Technology transactions
- Perella Weinberg Partners one of most prestigious boutique, founded by M&A Legends Joseph Perella and Peter Weingberg (ex-CEO of Goldman Sachs)
- Piper Jaffray One of the largest US-based investment banking boutique with offices in London
- Seymour Pierce London-based boutique investment bank, with a good reputation in equity research and an M&A team
- Thomas Weisel Partners US Boutique focused on the technology sector, with strong presence in London
- William Blair & Company Chicago headquartered-boutique with significant London based-presence, running Analyst and Associate programmes.
- McQueen London boutique investment bank focused exclusively on Consumer, Retail and Leisure sectors