Blackstone boosting advisory team

Blackstone is said to be hiring corporate financiers for its new advisory business. But don't expect to land a job there easily, says one recruiter.

"Blackstone been hiring analysts and associates for their advisory business for a while, but they're very, very picky, and don't seem to be in panic mode. They're beefing up their junior teams right now," Noel Marshall, recruiter at Finance Professionals, tells us. "If a stellar candidate comes along I think they're still interested, but they're not desperately throwing themselves around the market. They've hired a couple of good people and are looking for a couple more."

Financial News this week reports that Blackstone's advisory business is looking to bring in selected prominent bankers with chief executive-level contacts to bolster the team. It quotes a source who says, "Several are likely to join the UK team, with one in each of the significant European countries."

New hires are likely to come into contact with John Studzinski, former co-head of investment banking at HSBC, who starts work at Blackstone this week.

Blackstone declined to comment.