With great response to the past posts that identified the top LinkedIn groups for Cloud Computing, Big Data, Enterprise Mobility, and Analytics, here is the second of a new series of the top LinkedIn groups, this time for Finance.

These powerful LinkedIn groups can be used to research the top trends in the industry, and catch a snapshot of the discussions and opinions of some highly educated professionals. Join them, and don’t hesitate (or forget) to get involved by contributing to the conversation or sharing valuable resources.

1. Group Name: Finance Club

Group Description: The Finance Club focuses on helping finance professionals to grow their industry network, enhance their career and close more deals. Join if you work in the following industries: Accounting, Banking, Capital Markets, Financial Services, Insurance etc.

Current Discussions: Three Must Own Energy Names for the Income Investor, whitepaper titled “Working Capital Optimization: 11 Lessons Learned.”

Members: 268,398
Group manager: Martin Luenedonk
Group stats: Very Active – 5,6000 discussions this month > more info
Demographics of members:

  • LOCATION – 12% Greater New York City Area
  • FUNCTION – 27% Finance
  • INDUSTRY – 27% Financial Services
  • SENIORITY – 25% Senior

2. Group Name: Finance Plus: Private Equity, Venture Capital and M&A news

Group Description: FinancePlus is a fast-growing and vibrant worldwide community of financial professionals, which, together with all of its components, ties together more than 150,000 members.

The FinancePlus community is an arena for discussions, comments, and information resources for financial professionals. The FinancePlus community has specialty neighborhoods for more than twenty professional segments such as private equity, commercial banking, M&A, audit, insurance, and areas of interest such as ethics, globalization, and financial standards.

Current Discussions: Differences between a conventional project manager versus a contemporary project manager, Three things your Facebook fan page must do to drive traffic: Monetize Your Fan Page Properly, OPEC Outlook Could Boost Oil Stocks.

Members: 179,404
Group manager: Philippe Der Megreditchian
Group stats: Very Active – 8,253 discussions this month > more info
Demographics of members:

  • LOCATION – 7% Greater New York City Area
  • FUNCTION – 25% Finance
  • INDUSTRY – 23% Accounting
  • SENIORITY – 23% Senior

3. Group Name: Finance Industry Professionals Worldwide

Group Description: Finance Group for Banks/Banking, Insurance, Mortgage, Loans, Broking/Brokerage, Stocks Traders, Accounts/Accounting, Securities, Taxation, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Venture Capitalists, Commodity, Audit Firm professionals from USA (America), Asia (China, India etc), Europe, Australia, Africa etc.

Current Discussions: The Future of Strategic Business Management: unifying finance and HR, Introducing Startup Tank!, Who’s Hiring Now

Members: 53,593
Group owner: Harish Jain
Group stats: Very Active – 1,771 discussions this month > more info
Demographics of members:

  • LOCATION – 8% Mumbai area, India
  • FUNCTION – 25% Finance
  • INDUSTRY – 28% Financial Services
  • SENIORITY – 27% Senior

4. Group Name: Treasury/Finance Careers

Group Description: Career networking for the treasury management and finance profession. Financial officers, treasurers, cash and investment managers discuss jobs and share job opportunities and career advancement ideas.

Current Discussions: Time Management on the Job and be More Productive, Financial Analyst Positions Available for Immediate Hire, What is Personal Effectiveness?

Members: 47,354
Group owner: Carol Vincent
Group stats: Very Active – 3,784 discussions this month > more info
Demographics of members:

  • LOCATION – 8% Greater New York City Area
  • FUNCTION – 40% Finance
  • INDUSTRY – 27% Financial Services
  • SENIORITY – 28% Senior

5. Group Name: Accounting and Finance Professionals

Group Description: This group if for all Accounting & Finance Professionals who want to expand their network.

Current Discussions: Now Hiring Accountants (Send Application Now), Treasury yields fall to two-week low, If you can think OUT of the box and have a problem solving attitude.

Members: 28,563
Group owner: Aldin Beslagic
Group stats: Very Active – 4,096 discussions this month > more info
Demographics of members:

  • LOCATION – 6% Greater New York City Area
  • FUNCTION – 47% Accounting
  • INDUSTRY – 42% Accounting
  • SENIORITY – 23% Senior; 33% Entry