• Classes taught by experienced finance professionals provide deep insights.
• Regular guest talks by industry speakers were critical.
• Career services support, including exclusive access to AlumnEye, proves pivotal.

Amundi, Rothschild & Co., and Goldman Sachs are where alumni Raphael Lambert, Matthieu Oro, and Mickaël Touitou, respectively, have landed after graduating from the ESSEC Master in Finance (MiF) program.

All three entered ESSEC Asia-Pacific with a common goal: to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to join their desired finance sectors.

Raphael felt it was necessary when he failed to secure employment opportunities despite graduating with a bachelor’s degree in economics and securing a few internships at banks.

Matthieu hoped to move from private banking to investment banking, and Mickaël to transition from engineering to finance.

They emerged from the program successfully, something they credit to the career-focused curriculum and industry exposure at ESSEC Asia-Pacific.

Impressive Curriculum and Professors

“The MiF puts me ahead in terms of technical skills and financial knowledge,” Matthieu, an M&A analyst at Rothschild & Co, testifies.

“For example, we had a financial modeling class with Rick Marchese, a former banker from the US. From his experience, he taught us tricks that you would only learn on the job at investment banks.”

Mickaël, who handles equity product sales for Goldman Sachs, adds that he was also particularly impressed by the level of personalized support from Academic Director Peng Xu.

“She was always trying to understand our point of view and facilitate things for us, which was nice for us as students,” he says.

Ample Chances For Industry Exposure

Raphael concurs, adding that one of his highlights was the talks by industry professionals arranged by Xu.

“I was impressed with the number of speakers we were able to have and how much I could learn about all the different aspects of finance from experienced, successful industry practitioners,” he recalls.

“There were speakers from M&A and asset management, debt capital markets, venture capital, MAS (regulators), fintechs, private equity, and hedge funds.”

The most memorable one for him was one by Eric Bramoullé from Amundi. This is where Raphael first learned about working in an asset management firm, eventually leading him to join the organization’s Singapore office as an investment analyst.

Exclusive Access to AlumnEye

For all three French alumni, a significant source of support during the job search was the career services at ESSEC Asia-Pacific.

Mickaël, who had no prior finance experience, benefited significantly from workshops on CV writing, interview practice sessions, and learning about the different stages of one’s finance application.

The most valuable workshops are those run by AlumnEye, a training provider that prepares jobseekers for interviews in banks and consulting firms.

AlumnEye training sessions can cost up to EU$3,000, but ESSEC MiF students access these free of charge and can continue to receive virtual support throughout their MiF journey.

They also have access to a platform where candidates upload their interview feedback for others to learn from, which Matthieu believes was a crucial resource for his job search.

“Without this, I might not have had the opportunity to work at Rothschild & Co. This partnership is truly how ESSEC gives us a headstart in the working world,” he concludes.