Dealmakers at Rothschild may be among the highest paid in investment banking, but no-one can say they don't earn their keep; according to data from mergermarket, M&A bankers at the blue-blooded firm have been by far and away the busiest in the industry during the noughties.

On a list of bankers who worked on the most European deals since mergermarket's records began in 2003, seven of the top 10 came from Rothschild, including all of the top four.