Credit Suisse's ex-EMEA equities head demonstrates CV writing skills

If you're looking for some tips on how to write your resume for a new banking job this autumn, we suggest you take some inspiration from Mike Diiorio, the former head of EMEA equities at Credit Suisse.

After leaving CS in May, Diiorio has recently updated his LinkedIn profile using various techniques that suggest he could have a second career as a professional CV writer if he feels so inclined. 

Diiorio is thought to have left Credit Suisse voluntarily after joining from Barclays as head of equities for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in 2017. After a 24 year career in banking, sources suggest he was expected to take some time out and maybe even move into academia. It's not clear whether Diiorio's fancy profile marks a play for a new big role in equities, or is simply a tombstone for his achievements to date (he didn't respond to our queries).

Of course, it's entirely possible that Diiorio's impeccably constructed profile isn't his own work and was written by a professional profile writer, meaning there's all the more reason to copy its format. Either way, it includes plenty of pointers for everyone else planning to refresh their profile after the summer...

1. Begin by summing up your USP and achievements

Who are you? What makes you special? Diiorio starts with the perfect introductory capsule, stating: "I am a financial markets practitioner with experience leading and transforming equity businesses across the globe. In roles spanning Frankfurt, London and Hong Kong, I've worked as an equity derivatives trader, an equity trading manager, a sales manager and an equity business head. I have a passion for driving a culture of empowerment, inclusion and accountability conducive to maximising results in complex, global businesses."

2. Link your actions to solid outcomes 

This is where Diiorio's profile excels.

At Credit Suisse he says he led a staff of 550 people and helped 'articulate and execute' a strategy to restructure the business and grow revenues. "In 2019, we grew global equity revenue year on year at a faster pace than any equity division amongst the bulge bracket firms while holding costs flat."

At Barclays, as global head of equity sales, he managed 200 people and, "re-allocated resources dynamically from less profitable to more profitable accounts, driving sequential improvement in profitability from year to year."

At Barclays, as head of APAC equities, Diiorio says he: "built a cash equity business from scratch;" increased Barclays' APAC cash equities revenues from outside the top 20 to inside the top 10, and reduced costs by 20% while maintaining revenues and rankings. 

3. Use bullet points to further highlight specific achievements 

While those are Diiorio's headline achievements during his career, he also had plenty of subsidiary achievements at Credit Suisse. In a series of bullet points, he explains among other things that he:

•  Increased female representation on the EMEA Equity Executive committee from 0% to 30%.
•  Developed a strategy as an Executive Member of the Board of Credit Suisse International and Credit Suisse Securities Europe Limited to return the entities to profitability and rebuild trust with the two UK regulators, the PRA and the FCA. Achieved profitability in both entities in 2019.
• "Rebuilt morale across a staff of 550 people who trade, sell and research equity, equity-linked and equity finance products."

A similar repertoire of bulleted achievements are provided for his time at Barclays. 

The implication seems to be that if you're a bank looking about for someone to restructure your equities business, and to cut costs while building morale and maintaining or even increasing revenues, Diiorio (known as a 'nice guy') is your man.

It's notable that other big equities names seem less bothered about their legacies. - Peter Selman who ran the equities business at Deutsche Bank until its ill-fated end in July 2019 has a very pefunctory profile indeed. So too does Murray Roos, who left Citi for the London Stock Exchange Group in January.

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Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash