Video Interviews


Ignacio Blasco - Head of Leveraged Capital Markets - Société Générale

Leveraged Capital Markets is a platform in all major investment banks. This department is dedicated to structuring and executing leveraged debt financings for corporate and private equity clients and then seeking to source investors for those debt financings. As in other areas of banking, strong analytical skills are essential, but good interpersonal skills are no less important.


Anita Hague - Global Research Director - Financial Times

The role of the research department is to help other departments solve issues they don't know how to resolve. It's about providing insight into a specific issue and delivering actionable recommendations that can be used to solve the issue. The ability to tell a story with numbers and display data in a visual way is an essential skill for anyone wishing to work in research.


Tom Kinnaird - Head of Procurement - WPP

The role of procurement involves obtaining anything the company needs to function – whether it’s raw materials for manufacture, externally-sourced marketing services, or getting more value-for-money contracts in place. Soft skills are at the heart of this profession. Number crunchers may be useful in the back office, but during negotiations with suppliers, you need to possess emotional intelligence as well as numerical ability to strike the best dea...


Guy Hands - Chief Investment Officer - Terra Firma Capital Partners

Private Equity means investing in companies that are not listed on the stock markets. PE firms typically leverage junior professionals to model out transactions, perform due diligence on transactions. Most PE firms hire former investment bankers and similar corporate finance professionals (accounting, commercial banking) since these professionals' backgrounds are well suited for such positions.


Mark Hebblewhite - Digital Marketing Manager - Aviva Investors

Digital marketing is about so much more than just launching a website. It's about embracing new technologies and integrating new techniques with the more traditional approaches to effectively market your company to the right audience. A career in digital marketing is not for everybody! You have to be sharp and on the ball. Love online interaction and be quick with the ideas and plans.


Sonja Laud - Global Fund Manager - Schroders

Fund Management, also called Asset Management or Investment Management, refers to the professional management of investment funds for individuals and institutions. Effective fund management requires constant monitoring and managing. To succeed in these areas, candidates should possess excellent analytical skills as well as quick decision-making and the ability to withstand pressure.


Ross Crooke - Vice President - BTS Western Europe

Business Simulations are commonly described as 'flight simulators' for business. They allow individuals to be exposed to situations where they have to make decisions and receive feedback on those decisions in a simulated business environment. It is a growing area in the marketplace and career opportunities range from selling and growing the business to running the workshops and developing the simulations.


Justin Adams - Head of Emerging Business & Ventures - BP Alternative Energy

Large organizations often face significant obstacles to innovation. As a solution, they set up corporate ventures activities with the objective of creating options for growth, by either taking stakes in interesting companies or creating new businesses. A career in corporate venturing is suitable for individuals with innate entrepreneurial ability and drive for results.


Christoffer Ellehuus - Managing Director - Corporate Executive Board

HR consulting involves advising organizations on how to make the most out of their human capital. Depending on a company’s particular needs, HR consultants can assist with attracting talented individuals or rewarding current employees or keeping employees motivated during tough times, etc. In addition to being analytical, the ability to get along well with others and understand their point of view is crucial in HR consulting.


Monika Jakubiec - Carbon Segment Leader - GE Energy

Carbon Finance is rapidly gaining momentum among technology companies around the world. Carbon Finance is increasingly viewed as one of the most promising means of attracting funding for energy and infrastructure projects in developing countries. To succeed in this area you need to develop a combination of engineering skills, sound financial knowledge and the ability to work with people of various cultural, economic & social backgrounds.


Charlotte Wolff - Head of Corporate Responsibility - ArcelorMittal

Corporate Responsibility (CR) is a company’s sense of responsibility toward the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates. If you choose a career in CR, you will be dealing with a diverse range of issues on a daily basis. Having a background in environment or social sciences is useful but you need to have the business knowledge to back it up and allow you to see the whole picture.


Graham Wright - Consulting Services Leader - IBM

Consulting firms help companies achieve projects which give them business benefits. In order to be successful in consulting you must posses a certain level of people and sales skills. This is not the job for someone who doesn't enjoy talking to people and doing negotiations. The successful candidate for consulting jobs will have very high analytical skills, be great with people, and have a very high level of communication skills.


Paul Downie - Head of Foreign Exchange & Liquidity - Shell

Large multinational companies face cash management needs across multiple countries. The liquidity department is responsible for managing the company's cash and foreign exchange dealing. Because of the large amount of money involved, this function has a direct financial impact on the bottom line of a company. To be successful in this role, you need good negotiation skills along with a strong analytical mind and an ability to think quickly.


Iain Wales - CEO - Dexia UK

In this interview, Iain Wales talks about the requirements of a career in Project Finance. The term "Project Finance" refers to the financing of infrastructure and industrial projects in which repayment of debt is based on the revenue generated by that project. Success in this business requires excellent analytical and financial modeling skills and the ability to work under pressure and stay calm in difficult situations.


Dean Hodcroft - Head of Real Estate - Ernst & Young

Real Estate Consulting includes a wide range of activities aimed at helping clients make better real estate decisions. Services can range from evaluating large and diverse portfolios to performing single property analyses as well as the identification and valuation of tangible and intangible real estate related assets. As per other consulting roles, having good interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team is of utmost importance.