The PR department is the conduit for information between the bank and the media. When journalists want to know about anything, from the latest research notes to initial public share offerings or industrial relations tribunals, they often liaise with the PR department.

Large financial institutions typically employ a head of global PR who is based at the head office, and have multiple PR managers and PR assistants scattered across major regional centres. Some PR staff have a defined responsibility for a particular part of the firm, such as its private bank. These roles are often filled by former journalists, as well as career PR people.

Banks mainly recruit for their own PR jobs; however such firms also outsource some of their media requirements to PR agencies. These PR agencies typically manage specific campaigns or deal with specialist enquires (e.g. employer branding). Equally, PR agencies employ specialist public relations staff to communicate information about significant financial events such as mergers and acquisitions and initial public offerings of shares. Companies will often employ these agencies to communicate on their behalf.

Like PR, marketing staff are also concerned with the way the organisation is perceived by the outside world. Unlike with PR a marketing job focuses on presenting a financial services firm's image to existing and potential customers.

At many investment banks, inhouse communications experts also produce company magazines, run intranet sites and manage corporate events.

Investor relations jobs require playing a more formal role by distributing information about a company and its financial performance to existing and potential shareholders. Investor relations professionals are "middlemen" who handle inquiries from shareholders and investors, and other people who are interested in a company's stock or financial stability

An investor relations career demands expertise in communication, finance, marketing, and securities law compliance as the role is essentially strategic management. The goal is to encourage communication between a company and the financial community that will help its securities achieve fair valuation.

An investor relations job includes a wide range of responsibilities including working at fund-raising roadshows to keep audiences up to date about the firm's internal operations. Investor relations people also attend press conferences, shareholder meetings, and private meetings with investors.

Company annual reports and the investor relations section of company websites fall under their remit, and they communicate information about corporate governance and corporate social responsibility.

The investor relations department usually reports to the chief financial officer or treasurer, although in some firms the function is managed by the PR team.