Nomura Interview Questions: Technical, Behavioral & Fit (2026)
The most common technical, behavioral, and fit questions asked in Nomura investment banking interviews. Based on real interview experiences from successful candidates.
Last updated April 2026 · By the Superday AI editorial team
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Technical Questions
- Nomura acquired Lehman Brothers' Asian and European operations in 2008. Walk me through how you would value the goodwill from such an acquisition and when impairment testing would be triggered.
- Compare the M&A advisory landscape in Asia versus the US. What structural factors make Asian deal flow different, and how does Nomura's positioning in both markets create competitive advantages?
- Walk me through how you would advise a Japanese conglomerate on divesting a non-core business unit to a Western PE firm. What are the key structuring and negotiation considerations?
- Explain the role of relationship banking in Japanese corporate finance. How does the main bank system differ from the US model, and how does this affect Nomura's advisory relationships?
- A European company is doing an IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Walk me through the key regulatory and structural differences compared to a US IPO.
Behavioral Questions
- Nomura has a unique history as a Japanese bank that expanded aggressively into Western markets. What attracts you to this global ambition?
- Tell me about a time you adapted your communication style to work effectively with people from a different cultural background.
- Why Nomura over other international banks? What specifically about our platform and strategy interests you?
- Describe a time when a project or initiative did not go as planned. How did you respond, and what did you learn?
- Nomura values persistence and resilience. Tell me about a challenge that tested these qualities in you.
Fit Questions
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Tell me about a time you worked on a team.
- Describe a time you failed.
- How do you handle pressure?
- What questions do you have for me?
Tips for Nomura Interviews
- Nomura is Japan's largest investment bank and securities firm with a significant global presence built partly through the acquisition of Lehman Brothers' European and Asian businesses in 2008. Understanding this history and how it shaped Nomura's current global footprint is essential.
- The bank's competitive advantage lies in its dominance of the Japanese market and its connectivity between Asia and Western capital markets. Prepare to discuss Asian M&A trends, Japanese corporate governance reforms, and how Nomura bridges Eastern and Western deal-making cultures.
- Nomura's culture blends Japanese values of loyalty, precision, and long-term commitment with the more aggressive dealmaking culture inherited from its Lehman acquisition. Behavioral answers should demonstrate adaptability and cultural flexibility.
- Technical questions may have an Asian market dimension: cross-listing mechanics, Japanese regulatory frameworks, and how corporate governance reforms in Japan are driving M&A activity. Prepare beyond US-centric frameworks.
- The bank is in a period of strategic refocusing on its core Asian strengths. Understand this strategy and articulate why Nomura's Asia-focused platform is attractive rather than treating it as a limitation.
More Nomura Resources
Sources
- Nomura - Careers. Nomura (accessed 2026-05-14)
- Discounted Cash Flow Valuation - Aswath Damodaran. Aswath Damodaran (NYU Stern) (accessed 2026-05-14)
- Equity Valuation - CFA Institute Refresher Reading. CFA Institute (accessed 2026-05-14)