Magnus Singer

The trip provided an excellent opportunity to connect with alumni, and the Finance Forum campus career fair, granted first hand access to alumni and recruiters

Prior to joining the MIF programme at HEC, I studied Economics at the University of Mannheim and completed internships at Morgan Stanley, Evercore and Ardian in markets, investment banking and private equity, respectively.

A well-balanced curriculum

What really attracted me to the MIF program was the opportunity to gain broad financial knowledge while, at the same time, being able to specialise in topics that suit my interests and career aspirations. 
Over the course of the programme, the MIF offered a three-part, well-balanced sequential set of courses. 
The program started with a set of lectures that provided a broad knowledge on major topics in finance. In the second phase of the first semester, I was able to pursue my personal interests by joining the MIF’s corporate finance track, that features courses such as Mergers and Acquisitions taught by an experienced senior banker.
Finally the third tranche of courses and the electives, offered a high degree of flexibility regarding the curriculum. The courses did not only allow for specialization, taking into account both academic and professional interests, but also touched on related topics such as legal and contractual aspects of finance.
But, it is not only the courses that makes the MIF stand out from other programs. From my perspective, it is the combination of an excellent reputation, great exposure to potential employers, and a curriculum that balances theory and practical application very well, consequently providing a unique platform to break into various fields in finance.

The London study trip

The highlight of the MIF program was certainly the London study trip prior to commencing classes. The trip provided an excellent opportunity to connect with alumni, and the Finance Forum campus career fair, granted first hand access to alumni and recruiters from both Paris and London. It was particularly useful for international students seeking employment in the UK.

Learning from peers

Reflecting on what I learned during the MIF program, I was definitely able to improve my self-awareness in job interviews and deepen my knowledge in corporate finance. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the fact that not all MIF students had a business background. Because the MIF, and HEC in general, puts great emphasis on the collaboration between students. I was given a chance to learn from peers with an engineering or mathematics background about how they approach problems in finance and how this might differ from the approach of a business student.

An investment banking internship at Goldman Sachs

Over the summer, I plan to join Goldman Sachs as a Summer Analyst in their investment banking division.