Delivering Integrated Global Training

Attempting to recover from the global recession which began with the financial meltdown in 2008, the financial services industry faced some of its most arduous years. The influence of new regulations, increased public scrutiny and the worst economic recession in decades have forced financial firms to adapt their practices not just to survive, but to succeed amidst an evolving landscape.

After the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008, Nomura, a financial services group based in Tokyo with regional headquarters in London, Hong Kong and New York, began to look for opportunities to develop its presence in a collapsing industry. It acquired the Lehman Brothers franchise in Asia and the equities and investment banking businesses in Europe and the Middle East. It now has offices in more than 30 countries and employs approximately 26,000 people worldwide.

Pre-recession, Nomura had hundreds of analysts trained in separate regions. When it acquired Lehman, the focus shifted to integrating the regional approach into one global program. Launched in 2008, the Global Markets Initial Training Program is now the flagship of the company’s two-year assimilation and development process for new hires in the global markets division.

Nomura is increasing investment in new hires to maximize their ability to perform from day one. With global offices, the company was challenged to develop a firm-wide program that addressed both the organization’s core values and regional issues that affect each office. In 2009, the training program had an analyst class of 35 graduates, reflecting the economic situation at the time. In 2010 and 2011, Nomura had more than 200 analysts and associates participate in a four-week classroom training program, prefacing a two-year continuing development program.

Nomura program management engaged in extensive pre-program consultancy with internal senior stakeholders to develop technical content and practical case studies that replicate the company’s global markets environment. The Global Initial Training Program is structured to help new hires from undergrad and graduate schools assimilate into the corporate culture, establish their global network, build a base-level understanding of the market and polish foundational skills needed to master their work.