Maxwell Lubkeman

For me, the program highlight was the London Study Trip

 

I chose the MIF program at HEC Paris due to its reputation and the balance between financial theory and actionable, practical financial skills. After attending the University of Chicago, I felt that I further developed my strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, but I wanted to acquire more knowledge that was directly applicable to the workplace. Having really enjoyed the work in my prior finance-oriented internships, I wanted to obtain a degree more recognized in Europe, given that I want to work abroad at some point, so I applied to HEC Paris’ MIF program and was fortunate enough to be accepted. Moreover, the curriculum places a strong emphasis on learning financial theory, underscoring the more practical work like financial modelling and presentation making, which allows one to develop the entirety of their financial skills. 
 

The London study trip

For me, the program highlight was the London Study Trip. It was great to encounter financial institutions and meet HEC alumni to learn more about the financial workplace and how the alumni’s experience at HEC helped to shape and advance their careers. I also enjoyed the electives as they have given me a chance to further focus on the areas of finance I’m interested in.

Improving soft and hard skills

An incredibly valuable skill I gained at HEC is how to hold a crowd’s attention more effectively during presentations. Given the importance of the coursework, I also greatly improved my time-management skills. In addition, I improved my financial modelling and presentation building skills and how to thoroughly conduct a financial analysis of a company. The job fairs were immensely valuable because they allowed me to meet directly with top recruiters and employees to get feedback about my academic and work background and how to fit in with and contribute to a firm.

Career Ambitions

I want to work in corporate finance either at an investment bank, a merchant bank, or within a corporation in tandem with their strategy and M&A teams