The ICAEW corporate finance faculty last night outlined a bold vision for its future as it unveiled plans to grow its membership to 10,000.
Speaking at the faculty's annual dinner and ten-year anniversary, chairman Chris Ward said that he planned to grow membership from the current level of 6,000 to 10,000.
Ward also said the faculty was aiming to rapidly increase its international membership and recruit more corporate financiers who did not come from chartered accountancy background, which has been the main pool the faculty has recruited from in the past.
Reflecting this shift in focus, the faculty awarded its corporate financier of the year award and outstanding achievment award to two of the City's most powerful investment bankers, rather than its traditional heartland of the middle market.
Kevin Smith, managing director and head of UK M&A at Merrill Lynch , was named as corporate financier of the year. Smith generated over £20bn in deals to claim the award.
David Wormsley, head of UK Investment Banking at Citigroup generated £19.9m in deals to win the outstanding achievement award.
Investment banking is a major target for the faculty.
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