Ah, the jungle drums have been beating about UBS indeed. Based on the most helpful WSO content, there have been some significant layoffs at UBS. Here's what the chatter in the trees has been about:

  • Seniority Levels Affected: It seems that the layoffs were not just limited to the junior levels like Analysts and Associates. There were mentions of mid-level positions such as Vice Presidents and Directors being affected as well.
  • Departments and Groups: Specific groups within UBS were mentioned, such as Healthcare (HC), Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT), Global Industrials Group (GIG), and Real Estate (RE). There was also talk of minimal impact in Equity Capital Markets (ECM) and Leveraged Finance (LevFin).
  • Extent of Layoffs: The numbers tossed around included 2-3 in HC, 2-3 in TMT, 4-5 in GIG, and 1 in RE. Some regions within M&A were also hit, and there was a mention of headcount being down by about 20% in real estate.
  • Cultural Impact: There were some colorful comments about the culture at UBS, with one user jokingly referring to the bank as "U.B.Ass" in light of the layoffs.
  • Comparisons to Other Firms: Some users compared the UBS layoffs to those at other firms, suggesting that while significant, they might not have been as drastic as reductions at firms like William Blair.

Remember, the hiring market can be brutal, especially after layoffs, but there's a silver lining: being laid off during a known wave of industry cutbacks can carry less stigma than during boom times. So, for those swinging through the vines of finance, keep your spirits high and your resumes polished!

Sources: UBS layoffs

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

There have already been rounds of layoffs these past 3 months. They are most likely going to continue to do these small layoffs, especially in the groups that are overstaffed within IB. No idea about S&T though, so that part could be right. IDT anyone is expecting a big layoff in the summer given the trend so far.

 

Honestly I agree but I was talking to a UBS associate a month ago and that is what they said. I think if anything we’ll see a large exodus as opposed to layoffs but who knows. The associate I was talking to is in global markets not IB so their perspective might be skewed but I would hope they have enough connects around the bank to know what they’re talking about

 

there have been some notable MD and ED (director) layoffs over past month or so.  Many were last week.  Many groups had almost half of their ED population cut. there were also a select few juniors cut (like 1 in a few groups)

hearing that in may will be the "junior" round in may with a significant number (6-7 per group).  who knows how true that is, but theres apparently a list.

 

Gotta be coming. Groups like M&A and GIG cut more seniors in Q1 so their junior to senior ratios are crazy now. Could probably cut 1/3 of Associates and VPs

 

feeling more and more that the UBS people are the irrelevant ones in the merger

-barclays leadership at group head level (like every group now brought one in)

-a few favored new ex barclays Mds to take all good deals

-rest of favorites are CS people that stayed

-last are legacy UBS(if they havent been laid off already)

 

UBS is trying to run a very lean senior team, which doesn't make much sense given their supposed desire to grow. A lot of these UBS EDs & MD's that got laid off bought no deals, but some of them did bring deals even if they are on average worse deals than what these new Barclays & CS people might potentially bring. It's not like the Barclays & CS people have been able to bring a lot of deal flow yet anyways. 

 

Yeah this is my thought too. We are definitely hiring people but probably firing more so the MD headcount since the merger 1 year ago is probably down a lot net net at this point, with a high % of MDs new to the platform and having a guar bonus for this year.

Basically will mean the business will be flat until late 2025-2026 at the earliest given it will take time for new MDs to ramp, and with guar bonuses the bonus pool will be f’d again for everyone

 

Nobody knows, thus the existence of the thread. Seniors also don't seem to know, The firm as a whole seems to be in paralysis of sorts and unless you are in select overstaffed groups, it's hard to know if/when/how layoffs will happen. Assuming you are in the bloated groups, Layoffs maybe sometime this quarter before the summer but it's very hard to know.

 

True but apparently first years (who are actual trash) are safe from this round of layoffs… that leaves second year analysts open to cuts. All the bottom tier UBS second years have already been cut so that leaves second year CS analysts who are generally very competent, being very overworked right now, and will get skimped on bonus if cut

 

Which actually pisses me off given I had a first year MBA ask me how to write an SNL formula the other day and another hard code IRR and then yet another (all different people) ask me how to create a bamsec link … but that’s ok good thing they’re cutting the second years making 50k less (pre bonus) who are carrying the workload

 

LevFin is a unique case, they and the sponsors group both didn't have as many hires and were historically UBS's strongest group when they were combined pre-merger. Also, LevFin has been just refinancing for quite a while and has been slammed. I wouldn't look at that as a general sign, especially since groups like GIG/FIG/M&A still seem extremely overstaffed at the junior levels compared to deal flow and senior counts. 

 

LF is a great group (i’m in the team). We are hiring at all levels, which is why other groups are firing (to offset costs). UBS LF is gonna continue to kill it despite our shitty coverage partners who cant even keep a group in tact for more than 18 months

 

Another 5 rounds of layoffs (lmao- morale down bad) coming in June, August, Sep, Oct, Nov, per media.

Seems like 60% of legacy CS folks are gonna be RIF’d, crazy. All legacy CS folks are job hunting.

And think this is firm wide (eg WM and Switzerland itself) on top of the imminent IB cuts focused on juniors. So really 6 rounds of cuts.

2024 is getting worse and worse, and with interest rates stuck the markets are probably going to be worse in 2H.

Consider yourself VERY lucky if still at UBS by YE

 

Absolutely on the ball here. If you are ex-CS, you should have been looking for a job a while ago but by now there is no reason for you to not be looking for a job. Unless you are one of the rainmakers UBS paid big bonuses to, you are most likely going to get fired(if you are on WSO... I doubt you are a rainmaker MD, so this applies to you). Looks like legacy UBS job cuts are going to be less likely, which should uplift morale amongst the legacy UBS juniors. I think morale amongst legacy CS juniors was already rock bottom and this news has somehow lowered that even further.

 

May layoffs (first week) are still happening.  Those 5 rounds in the article starting in June seemed to be more middle and back office focused.  Ib is in may

 

Looking at your post history: can't beleive it took them this long to fire you... guess you can slack off quite a lot when you're an associate in a product group with no exit opportunities. 

 
Most Helpful

None of us actually know how it’s gonna turn out, and I’d be lying if I said “class a, company b, location c is safe”. We’re all at risk, to varying degrees. 
 

I think there is comfort to be found in the fact that you aren’t going through it alone. Literally everyone in the company is in the same situation, or has been in the last few months. This also won’t be the last round of layoffs that you go through in your career. It’s hard to get used to, but heck, you’re on Wall Street.
 

HR processes are imperfect, and good people have been let go along with folks who weren’t as strong. While the outcome isn’t yours to control, your response (learning, getting stronger, etc.) absolutely is.

 

Its happening next week, heard tuesday. Mid-level dead weight Directors and ED at risk in TMT, GIG, FIG, M&A, and Associates at risk across all groups. Folks who dont come to the office 4 days are gone.

Lets rid the bank of all these CS hardos so UBS can maintain its former glory at #14 in the US M&A league tables

 

For once, your doom and gloom seems right. Have heard similar things and the groups identified for GIG, FIG, and M&A check out since they are all heavily bloated. TMT will most likely see less so given they had more seniors come in. Also, I don't understand why you keep mentioning the #14 bank in the US over and over again as UBS is also 6th or 7th globally in terms of deal flow for the last 12 months, the acquisition is clearly accretive in the long-run and it takes longer than a few months for MDs to bring deals in.

 

No idea how this would make sense if cuts would happen mainly at the senior layers. The summer intern intake is incredibly massive compared to last year (in my group), so assume analyst will be on the chopping block at some point or they’ll massively cut return rates.

 

Analysts are also on chopping block. Not just mid level. 

I think Sergio wants to eventually have an ib same size as before with just better quality Bankers.

 

Summer intern take this summer is usual for my group, so it seems very group-dependent based on seemingly if UBS thinks that the group is bloated and/or not. I would guess the groups with big summer intern classes are the growth areas for the bank(HC/TMT/ECM) that saw a lot of senior hiring and the groups that are overstaffed and overworked rn(LevFin). Ik GIG, M&A, and FIG also take a lot of interns, but A) those are the historically strong non-LevFin/Sponsors groups, and B) those groups will most likely no longer be bloated by the time 2025 arrives since they are the main focus for layoffs.

 

I’m in one of the traditional strong teams you mention and we nearly doubled our intake, wondering how this will play out. Do know that in other teams it is more in line.

 

For your weekend I strongly recommend “The Green Planet” on HBO. You’ll do yourself a favor over bitting your nails for what comes next.

Lehman like an epic fungus story - ever since it got let out of its walls continues to live on - embark, plug into nutrients of others and move on to next…with it, against it..it doesn’t care…

 

Looks like it'll be in waves within this week and maybe next, heard about some happening today, but nearly not enough for what UBS said they'd cut.

 

Can we not have Analyst 1s telling ex-cs juniors they are a cost redundancy because they are extrapolating earnings. I swear some of you people forget these are people's real lives and your pure speculation isn't value add.

 

I think there was a small round today - seems directed towards first year analysts and associates.

 

Who was RIF’d last week? Only heard about 1 in m&a and 3 in tech. Lighter than expected so sounds like this is the real big RIF week

 

Inventore adipisci id asperiores nobis. Aut aspernatur beatae possimus eaque aut eos aperiam. Est quos reprehenderit ullam mollitia.

 

Optio autem reprehenderit culpa hic cumque quis ipsa. Quia quae aut sit consequuntur in tenetur placeat. Enim porro modi in.

Molestias inventore iste nulla dolores non omnis aperiam ut. Et molestiae aut inventore. Exercitationem officia et quia eligendi ut. Ut nam veniam temporibus ut sapiente et eligendi. Maiores voluptas et neque sunt eligendi ipsam aut. Reprehenderit quaerat nihil aut vel nisi.

Mollitia quia doloremque voluptatem velit. Dolor aut ea soluta facilis. Officia sit sequi laudantium maiores deleniti. Reprehenderit eius ullam accusamus vel quae veritatis delectus. Odit natus consequatur unde sint ab. Sequi voluptas rerum ut explicabo sapiente ut voluptatem.

Earum qui odio et possimus dolores. Qui quibusdam aut dolorem repudiandae molestias quia et. Voluptatem reprehenderit neque vel eligendi doloremque molestiae velit. Repudiandae adipisci laudantium aut architecto et.

 

Autem ullam vel atque tempora accusantium praesentium. Voluptatem delectus eos iste quo. Similique reiciendis eligendi omnis corrupti dolorem numquam ut. Nihil ratione harum nesciunt. Facilis qui repudiandae eum architecto ratione officia.

Similique magnam laboriosam perspiciatis suscipit suscipit vel modi. Repellendus et neque atque voluptas. Est quia autem in rerum facere voluptatem voluptatem vitae.

Quis vero molestiae quia modi. Sed similique inventore facilis aspernatur quidem quo rerum. Rerum vel rerum temporibus autem quia. Dolorem suscipit nisi sapiente aut minima iste voluptatibus eligendi. Omnis dolores vero quam quibusdam. Consequatur reprehenderit laboriosam non eos voluptatem sit adipisci.

 

Fuga in placeat tempora fugiat perferendis ea. Cum debitis sunt qui ut facere. Est vel voluptates doloribus voluptatum. Deserunt omnis asperiores repellat sed esse.

Omnis hic officia debitis non. Tenetur numquam id fugiat quae qui et necessitatibus veniam. Eius quisquam et porro necessitatibus officia quas et laboriosam.

Facilis quis ut repellat beatae a et minus animi. Nemo illo debitis sapiente non qui. Quisquam et unde atque nemo quod.

Similique delectus recusandae nobis eos in ab doloribus nulla. Architecto facere rerum labore rerum. Ea quibusdam nihil quo dolor quas cupiditate quidem. Molestiae est sit earum molestias et rem. Nemo consequatur dolor dolorum et nam dolores reprehenderit. Provident quia temporibus corrupti qui praesentium.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Lazard Freres No 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. 25 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 04 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (21) $373
  • Associates (91) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (68) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”