- Euromoney is launching an Investment Banking Performance & Perception Survey that measures both objective capabilities and client views of banks.
- The survey runs from 20 January to 17 March 2026, with participant notifications on 20 April and results published in Q3 2026.
- Results will provide peer benchmarking, third-party validation, and a roadmap to align internal performance with client perception for strategic improvements.
- Participation affects competitive positioning and visibility, as rankings may influence client pitches, reputation, and investment priorities across products and technology.
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The launch of Euromoney’s Investment Banking Performance & Perception Survey signals a strategic expansion of benchmarking into investment banking, enabling banks to assess both their objective capabilities (scale, product strength, technology, innovation) and subjective reputation among clients (execution quality, advisory, relationship management). For banks sitting in the competitive middle—strong regionally but lagging globally—this dual insight likely provides a roadmap for priority investment in execution improvements and client servicing.
The timing (20 Jan – 17 Mar 2026 survey period, with results in Q3 2026) allows firms to align this benchmarking with their fiscal-year planning and budget cycles, particularly as many investment banks set capital and technology investments at year-end. Early notice (notifications in April) gives lead time for methodological alignment and client outreach.
This initiative may shift market dynamics: banks that have historically under-emphasised client perception or lagged in innovation will have hard, comparable metrics to show in pitches. Leaders with strong product capabilities or execution may get further leverage from third-party validation. Opportunity costs lie with those who do not participate; risk of falling behind in client perception or not being visible in rankings.
Internally, banks should prepare cross-functional alignment: product teams, technology, advisory divisions, client relationship management. Data coherence between actual capabilities and client perception gaps must be addressed carefully—where mismatch reveals blind spots. Strategically, firms may need to decide where to invest to close gaps: improving tech, speed/risk in execution, advisory depth or cross-product integration.
Open questions remain: how Euromoney will weight various dimensions (scale vs innovation vs client satisfaction), what thresholds for peer comparisons will be, how geographic variability is addressed, and how private markets / ESG / boutique advisory fit into the survey’s benchmarking model. Also, firms should question how insights will translate into competitive advantage once rankings are published.
Supporting Notes
- The survey has two parts: Performance (product capabilities, franchise scale, technology, innovation etc.) and Perception (client feedback on execution, advisory, relationship management) as per Euromoney’s description. [1]
- Key dates: launch 20 January 2026; closing 17 March 2026; notifications to participants on 20 April; results in Q3 2026. [1]
- Euromoney’s prior surveys (Cash Management, Trade Finance, Financial Institutions) collect feedback from over 60,000 clients globally; this survey extends that approach to investment banking. [1]
- Benefits for participants include peer benchmarking, linking internal capabilities with client satisfaction, gaining third-party validation, enhanced client trust, and use of rankings and certifications. [1]
- This survey supports investment banks assessing strengths and gaps versus peers, particularly in strategic positioning, product offering, service execution, and technology/innovation. [1]
- Participation implies public visibility in rankings and certification—strategic tools for reputation management and competitive differentiation. [1]
Sources
- [1] www.euromoney.com (Euromoney) — recent