Meet one of our analysts, Eliza Allen, and hear how she started out as an intern in Corporate Advisory.
Tell us about your current position in Corporate Advisory and what your team does.
I became a full-time analyst in the General Industrials and Restructuring team within the Corporate Advisory division at MA Financial Group in October 2019. Prior to this, I completed a Winter and Summer internship here and worked part-time while I was finishing my university degree.
Since starting as an intern, I have been exposed to a number of projects including M&A, debt and equity capital market transactions and restructuring deals. Some of the industries I have worked in include manufacturing, renewables, healthcare, credit, financial services, technology and media.
It is this depth of experience across a range of subjects that has been so rewarding to me while working at MA Financial Group.
What are the highlights?
I love the variety of the segments and transaction types that I have been exposed to whilst working at MA Financial Group. The learning curve is steep and it is not without hard work, but it is incredibly rewarding to see the progress I have made over such a short period of time.
The firm helps me develop a broad foundation of knowledge and I look forward to learning more and expanding my skill set in 2020.
Can you describe a typical work day at MA Financial Group?
A typical day for an analyst involves performing analysis and preparing materials for senior team members and clients. These materials are fine tuned and are supported by in depth financial analysis.
MA Financial Group has a flat hierarchical structure, which is reflected in the open desk desk layout that makes direct interactions between junior and senior team members common and productive. Along with producing materials for external presentations, an analyst’s role also involves project management and other tasks to ensure everything is running smoothly and on time. I have also been fortunate to have had direct interaction with external stakeholders and clients, which has enhanced my understanding of deal strategy and dynamics.
What sort of deals have you worked on so far and what have you learned?
Over the past couple of months, I have worked predominantly within the credit space, a challenging area to get started on. I have been consistently learning every day, building upon my understanding of the sector and steadily increasing my knowledge about investment banking and transaction processes.
I really enjoy the collaborative nature of the projects in this space as it has provided me with exposure to other areas of MA Financial Group, including Asset Management and Credit.
What was the most important thing you’ve learned from your time at university?
The underlying theory for finance calculations is the most important thing I learnt as those are the building blocks you have to master before you can start learning how to bring everything together for an all-in project.
There is certainly a lot I have learnt on the job including strategy, process and deal development, however underlying financial analysis and problem solving is essential to get started. Proficiency in Excel is also highly recommended!
What are three pieces of advice you’d give to students applying for an internship or graduate program at MA Financial Group?
Do your homework and be prepared. Understand exactly what is involved in the job you are interviewing for so that you can at answer any questions the interviewer asks to the best of your ability.
If you do succeed, I recommend practicing financial modelling in excel so you are prepared from day one on the job.
Visit our Careers page to learn about current internship opportunities at MA Financial Group.
