Intapp’s recent investment banking webinar co-hosted by Monarch offered a timely look at how technology is reshaping the industry—particularly for middle-market firms navigating increased competition and tighter margins. Featuring insights from Brian Bissonette (Industry Principal, Intapp), Anthony Alexander (VP, Monarch), and Raphael Sacks (Lead, Business Value Team, Intapp), the session explored how banks can leverage technology to improve deal flow, strengthen client relationships, and drive operational efficiency.
Whether you’re a middle-market firm focused on winning more deals or a larger organization seeking to scale efficiently, the webinar delivered practical strategies and real-world examples of how technology can create measurable business impact.
The Current State of Investment Banking: Trends and Challenges
Brian Bissonette opened the discussion by outlining the evolving investment banking landscape. While mega-deals continue to dominate headlines, their concentration among large firms has intensified competition for mid-sized banks.
As Brian explained, many middle-market firms now operate in what he describes as an “every deal counts” environment—where no opportunity can be ignored, and execution speed matters more than ever.
“A lot of middle-market firms are really focusing on winning as many deals as they possibly can… it’s an every deal counts environment where they are not turning away business.”
This pressure has pushed firms to rethink how they source, manage, and execute deals—leading many to turn to technology as a strategic differentiator.
Technology as a Competitive Advantage
Across the panel, one message was clear: technology is no longer optional. The real challenge lies in choosing tools that deliver meaningful business outcomes rather than adding administrative burden.
Raphael Sacks emphasized that successful adoption depends on empowering bankers—not overwhelming them.
“It’s imperative to ensure bankers have the best technology… not as a burden of data entry, but as a source of value, insights, and potential deals.”
When implemented correctly, technology can enhance decision-making, surface opportunities faster, and strengthen client interactions across the firm.
How Investment Banks Should Evaluate Technology Solutions
Throughout the webinar, the speakers outlined a practical framework for assessing technology investments. Firms should evaluate tools across three core dimensions:
1. Functional Requirements
Technology must support day-to-day workflows and enhance how deal teams operate. Key capabilities include AI-driven insights, mobile accessibility, and relationship intelligence that helps bankers prepare for more meaningful conversations.
As Raphael put it:
“Give bankers the tools they need to have more meaningful conversations.”
2. Technology Requirements
From an IT perspective, integration, security, and scalability are critical. APIs, flexible architecture, and compliance-ready systems are essential—especially for firms planning to grow or modernize their tech stack.
“These are top of mind for IT teams doing diligence on potential technology tools,” Raphael noted.
3. Vendor Stability
Anthony Alexander highlighted the importance of partnering with vendors that are both dependable and well-positioned.
“Ensure they’re technically stable and financially strong.”
Crucially, the panel stressed that technology only delivers value when tied to clear objectives.
“It won’t matter if there aren’t defined objectives behind these technology choices,” Raphael added.
Business Outcomes Technology Should Deliver
The discussion centered on four key outcomes investment banks aim to achieve through technology:
Strengthening Networks and Relationships
Investment banking remains a relationship-driven business. Technology platforms like Intapp’s DealCloud enable firms to capture and leverage collective relationship intelligence, helping bankers walk into meetings better prepared.
Survey results show strong confidence among DealCloud users in its ability to support strategic relationship management.
Finding and Winning More Deals
Unified platforms that enable cross-team collaboration can directly impact market share.
Raphael shared that:
“The top five investment banks heavily using DealCloud have captured 1.5% more market share than they had in 2020.”
This highlights how better visibility and coordination across teams can translate into tangible growth.
Accelerating Deal Execution
Speed is a critical differentiator—particularly in competitive deal environments. AI-driven tools, such as automated buyer list generation, allow teams to move faster without sacrificing quality.
As Anthony explained:
“Speed is incredibly important… repurposing time toward the activities that matter most enhances output.”
Improving Efficiency and Retention
Efficiency gains also drive employee satisfaction. For junior bankers, DealCloud has been shown to save up to eight hours per week, reducing burnout and supporting long-term retention.
Key Technology Trends: Automation, AI, and Data Integration
Anthony Alexander noted that client demand increasingly centers on three areas:
Automation
Automation reduces manual work by auto-routing inbound opportunities, triggering workflows based on deal stages, and minimizing repetitive data entry—freeing teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
Artificial Intelligence
AI-powered features such as relationship scoring and natural language search help bankers surface insights instantly.
For example:
“You might ask, ‘Show me healthcare businesses with revenues of $5M or more,’ and the system delivers results instantly using integrated DealCloud data.”
Data Integration
Solutions like Intapp’s Data Cortex integrate external data providers (such as PitchBook), improving data completeness while significantly reducing time spent on manual updates.
Driving Adoption and Firm-Wide Impact
The webinar also highlighted a consistent adoption pattern: implementations often begin with coverage bankers, then expand firm-wide once value is demonstrated.
As Brian noted:
“The most ambitious and successful firms expand implementation because it delivers better coverage and cross-selling benefits.”
Q&A examples reinforced this trend, with firms rapidly scaling adoption after successful pilots showed clear business impact.
Final Takeaway: Build with Outcomes in Mind
The session concluded with a clear call to action: start by identifying the specific outcomes your firm wants to achieve—whether that’s improving client coverage, accelerating deal execution, or increasing efficiency—and then select technology that aligns with those goals.
As Raphael summed it up:
“We’re very confident we’re good at delivering those outcomes.”
For firms ready to modernize their approach to deal-making, Intapp’s platforms and expertise offer a proven path forward. With the right technology foundation, investment banks can compete more effectively—and win—in today’s demanding market.
