What did you do during the internship/ what did the internship entail?

I worked on several different advisory projects primarily for development finance institutions. For example, I supported the development of a composite index model which ranked all African financial centres for an African Development bank. I also conducted analyses and helped to prepare client material in support of the structuring of an innovative financing vehicle for an accelerator in the US, which will provide catalytical capital to social entrepreneurs around the world. I conducted several research tasks, ranging from energy efficiency in Africa to the Latin American power sector. I also carried out a presentation to the firm on the importance of culture at work.

Do you feel like your work had an impact on the company’s goals/aims?

Yes I do feel my work had an impact on the company’s aims, and was often given reassurance that my work was valuable!

How has your internship impacted your personal and professional development?

I have become more confident at meeting new people and working in a team, and have developed my ability to prioritise tasks. In terms of professional development, I greatly improved my excel and powerpoint skills, as well as my public speaking abilities, and I am now certain that I would like the work I do to be impactful in some way.

Was your internship affected by Covid? (i.e., did you have to do it online? Was it shortened? Did you do different work?)

I was fortunately able to complete my entire internship in person and it was not in any way affected by the pandemic. Most people came into the office at least 2 or 3 days a week so I was able to interact with everyone regularly.

How has the experience affected your career goals?

The experience has confirmed my desire to work in finance. Having carried out most of my internship on the advisory/investment banking side, I think that in the future I may move towards investment management, but for now I am enjoying working on the sell-side.

How/when did you become aware of investment management as a career?

My mum has had a career in fund management so I have been aware of it for a long time, but only really considered it as a viable career path for myself after doing further research and attending GAIN events.

Was there an experience or opportunity or day that stood out in your internship programme?

We had a very tight deadline for a project proposal one week, and it was great to see everyone come together to contribute, even if they were extremely busy! It really was the essence of ‘teamwork makes the dream work’!

What advice would you give anyone applying for a GAIN 2022 internship?

Be open-minded! I started my internship assuming I would be working solely on the investment management side and was apprehensive at first when I realised that I would mainly be focusing on advisory work. Fortunately I really enjoyed the advisory side, while at the same time being able to provide support to one of the firm’s funds. Also, ask questions even if you think they may be stupid! Internships are all about learning and the best way to learn is to be curious.