My trainee summer at Evli began with the Operations and Execution department.
The team could be perceived in my view as oil and gas for portfolio managers, ensuring primarily that transactions are correctly executed and can therefore be considered comprising an essential part of Evli’s infrastructure. As follows, I could closely follow the trades life cycle and learn various systems connecting the large network of portfolio managers. It takes time to understand the complex nature of how deals are processed in a bank, but working in Operations and Execution, and thanks to the helpful colleagues, it was straightforward.
Soon after, I switched to Evli’s treasury department assisting FX dealers in their execution flow, contributing to the bank’s liquidity management and suggesting appropriate investment decisions based on our insights on the financial markets. In a short span of time, I was given responsibility for careful assessments of the treasury strategy, and felt my ideas had their space in the team and were appreciated. The biggest personal development from the weeks at Treasury was understanding the interaction between fundamental and technical analysis. It was fascinating to follow asset price movements and whether they obeyed my own projections. I do not remember a day without discussing about recent market trends or an important event. The work at treasury emphasizes sharing and challenging ideas around financial markets from a broader perspective, making it a very solid choice for anyone interested in improving their macro-thinking.
My trainee program continued in equity research after mid-July. The work on the research side was very different compared to other placements in the program, and that is why it was also the most awaited period for me in the summer. My projects included assisting an analyst in writing a comprehensive research report, financial analysis and publishing other ad-hoc reports. In addition to traditional equity research, I also took part in a project to analyze environmental, social and governance aspects of the companies. This showed me that the team was very knowledgeable about the current developments in the financial markets and that Evli has taken an important initiative to be a responsible partner in the future. I found the work in research very diverse and instructive. As such, it helped me to distinguish where I was particularly good at and what I still needed to improve.
One of the best things during my internship at Evli was that I could focus on my personal growth. My mentors put me in challenging roles where I had to adapt to changing circumstances and environments and take on board new ideas and concepts. As a result, I developed new ways of looking at things while being able to reflect on my personal development and interests. Now, three months later, I have established great relationships with my colleagues and learned an incredible lot about different roles in banking. To conclude my thoughts after the Trainee period, Evli is a great platform for anyone ambitious looking to grow in the field of finance.
Miika Ihamäki, KTK, rahoituksen maisteriopiskelija Hanken Svenska Handelshögskolan
