The letter, part by part
Rosa Brooks (Analyst, Transaction Advisory) is applying to be an Investment Banking Analyst, M&A at Amstelpoort Capital Partners. Here is what each paragraph does.
- The hook
- The proof
- The fit
- The close
Dear Mr van Leeuwen,
Amstelpoort Capital Partners' focus on mid-market cross-border deals between the Benelux and Germany is exactly where I want to build my career. Having supported transactions in that space for the past two years, I am applying for the Investment Banking Analyst role in your M&A team because I want to sit closer to execution and work on mandates from first pitch to signing.
As an analyst in the transaction advisory team of a Rotterdam accounting firm, I have worked on nine completed deals with enterprise values between €15 million and €180 million. I built the financial due diligence model for a €95 million logistics acquisition, identifying €2.3 million in normalisation adjustments that shaped the final price. I also drafted sections of six sell-side information memoranda under tight deadlines.
Your team needs analysts who model accurately, write sharply and stay calm when deadlines move. I build three-statement, DCF and LBO models in Excel, run trading and transaction comparables using Capital IQ, and prepare pitch materials in PowerPoint to a high standard. I also speak English, Dutch and German fluently, which I know matters for your clients in Düsseldorf and Antwerp.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I could contribute to your M&A team and its upcoming mandates. I am available for interview in Amsterdam at your convenience and happy to complete a modelling test. Thank you for considering my application; I look forward to speaking with you.
Kind regards,
Rosa Brooks
Skills to mention
Employers hiring a investment banking analyst often look for these. Name the ones you really have, with an example.
Phrases you can borrow
Change the details to your own, then copy them into your letter.
I build models that a director can audit quickly and trust under deadline pressure.
I enjoy the precision of turning messy financial data into a clear valuation story.
I stay calm and organised when a deal timetable changes overnight.
I check every number in a pitch book as if the client were reading it first.
Tips for a investment banking analyst cover letter
- List deal experience with sector, type and size, keeping client names confidential.
- Name the models you can build, such as three-statement, DCF and LBO, and the data platforms you use.
- Show you understand the bank's niche, whether sector, deal size or geography.
- Mention languages and cross-border experience if the firm advises international clients.
- Keep the letter tight and error-free; bankers read it as a sample of your attention to detail.
Mistakes to avoid
- Naming confidential clients or sharing non-public deal details.
- Talking about passion for finance without evidence of technical modelling skills.
- Sending a letter with a formatting or number error to a detail-obsessed industry.