Pablo Diaz de Leon

It has been an enriching experience that helped me open my worldview and has changed the meaning of “International” for me. 

I have always been a hands-on type of person. It has proven difficult to be hands on because normally in school and university is much more about the theory than about the usage. I know that theory is a massively important part of any career but for me it has always been about the application. That’s how I have been behaving myself all my life, I want my knowledge to have purpose, I want to know how to use it. When I applied to HEC I saw that the courses were a lot more aligned with this sentiment than what I have at my home university. 

So, I thought a good way of complementing the good theory I was being taught was with good examples of its usage. And HEC did not disappoint. Our professor, Patrick Legland, focused on real cases, real ways of applying what we read in books. I was with him for two sessions, Investment Banking and then Mergers & Acquisitions. And in both I learned how the theory can only get you so far, how there are things about finance and economics that only experience can teach you. As I’m still a student experience is a department in which I am lacking, but our professor on the other hand has an enormous quantity of it. That’s what I really took away from these courses, the experience and knowledge that you can only get with people that have worked decades in the industry.

Attending two sessions was a good decision as I think they complement each other really well. The Investment Banking program is more fundamental and gives you a solid grasp on finance concepts and the valuation of companies. The Mergers & Acquisitions program is more advanced and is in a way the continuation of what you learn in Investment Banking. Having taken both courses I truly feel my financial knowledge has grown significantly. 

The campus experience also helped me realize how to work and coordinate projects with people from very different countries and cultures. Being a Mexican I was basically alone as there were no other Mexicans on the program, but that helped me immensely to get out of my comfort zone and talk to people and make new friends. I loved my experience in HEC and I cannot recommend it enough for all the people that want a taste of an international working experience in the realm of finance. I know for me it has been an enriching experience that helped me open my worldview and has changed the meaning of “International” for me. 

For more information on Investment Banking & International Finance

For more information on Mergers & Acquisitions