A financier is a person who makes their living from investments, typically involving large sums of money and usually involving private equity and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, corporate finance, investment banking and/or large-scale asset management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment. A financier today can be someone who makes their living from investing in up-and-coming or established companies and businesses. A financier makes money through this process when his or her investment is paid back with interest, from part of the company’s equity awarded to them as specified by the business deal, or a financier can generate income through commission, performance, and management fees.