JPMorgan Chase & Co. is expanding its investment banking headcount across Europe, increasing advisory capacity in response to observed market conditions and anticipated corporate finance activity in 2026. The bank is adding professionals to support advisory services, cross-border transactions and client coverage across multiple sectors and jurisdictions.
The expansion coincides with signs of improving investor sentiment in parts of Europe, which has implications for mergers, acquisitions and capital markets activity. Reinforcing deal teams enhances operational capacity to manage a broader range of transactions while aligning staffing levels with expected workloads.
Implications for JPMorgan’s Advisory Operations
Increasing dealmaking capacity has operational and client coverage implications. Additional staffing allows for more localized sector expertise and improved advisory support across jurisdictions. Larger teams facilitate coordination on cross-border transactions, which often involve complex regulatory, tax and legal considerations.
Expanded human capital also provides flexibility to manage multiple advisory assignments simultaneously. These adjustments reflect capacity planning decisions rather than assumptions regarding the outcomes or success of individual transactions.
Market Conditions and M&A Trends for 2026
European mergers & acquisitions activity entered 2026 with some tailwinds following a partial recovery in 2025. After several years in which higher interest rates and valuation mismatches constrained dealmaking, approximately $903Bn of transactions closed in Europe last year, representing a 9.0% increase over 2024.
Despite this improvement, aggregate volumes remain below the more than $1Tn annual levels observed in 2021 and prior to the pandemic. This context helps frame current staffing decisions and the range of potential transaction activities.
Investor sentiment has improved in select markets, influencing corporate and sponsor considerations around strategic transactions. Cross-border deals continue to represent a meaningful portion of activity, requiring advisory teams capable of navigating multiple regulatory and tax frameworks. Sectors such as technology, energy, financial services, fintech and infrastructure remain active, alongside consistent middle-market deal flow.
Broader Observations for European M&A
Staffing adjustments at investment banks can provide useful insight into broader market dynamics. Expanding advisory teams reflects preparation for potential transactional activity, while realized deal volumes will continue to depend on macroeconomic conditions, sector-specific factors and regulatory developments.
Increased capacity may support deeper engagement with corporates and financial sponsors across transaction types, including acquisitions, divestitures and cross-border advisory mandates. Observing these capacity shifts contributes to understanding potential trends in deal complexity and geographic reach without implying specific outcomes.
Strategic Outlook
JPMorgan’s expansion of European dealmaking teams represents a strategic adjustment of operational capacity to support corporate finance activity, including mergers, acquisitions and cross-border transactions in 2026. By strengthening coverage and advisory expertise, the bank aims to enhance responsiveness to client needs and improve coordination across markets.
For the broader European M&A environment, these staffing decisions offer insight into how financial institutions are aligning resources with expected activity levels. Expanded advisory capacity may influence the timing, scale and complexity of transactions across multiple sectors as market conditions evolve.
About DelMorgan & Co.
With over $300 billion of successful transactions in over 80 countries, DelMorgan’s Investment Banking professionals have worked on some of the most challenging, most rewarding and highest profile transactions in the U.S. and around the globe. In the upcoming year, we expect more high-quality deals execution for more clients and welcome the opportunity to speak with companies interested in potentially selling their businesses or raising capital.
