Home Internship & Job Experiences How internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia) gave real taste of financial models? | Raman's experience

How internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia) gave real taste of financial models? | Raman's experience

4 mins read

How internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia) gave real taste of financial models? | Raman's experience

Being a commerce graduate, financial roles, particularly, IB and PEVC, always fascinated me. Baring Private Equity Asia’s global reputation as a leading Investment firm attracted me more towards this organization. I was on cloud nine when I finally got a chance to do an internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia).

What is the selection process for an internship at Baring Private Equity Asia?

The selection process for an internship at Baring Private Equity Asia consists of the following rounds:

CV Shortlisting

Two interview rounds

To secure an internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia), a candidate must have a perfect CV that stands out in the crowd. The CV based shortlisting of candidates at Baring Private Equity Asia is quite selective. In my case, only 22 candidates were selected for the next two interview rounds.

What was my role during my internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia)?

My role during my internship at Baring Private Equity Asia revolved around the field of Deal Origination and Screening. My task was to support my senior members in the Origination of Transactions and Research Sector Analysis. Apart from that, I also participated in Live Deal Support. This basically involved a lot of Excel-based analysis of client projects, preparation of Financial Summaries, and Financial Modeling. Going through the financial models and understanding, the adjustments made to the reported numbers was an enlightening experience. In a nutshell, my role during the internship at Baring Private Equity Asia was progressive enough to give me a taste of reality.

What did I learn during my internship?

The extent of my role during my internship at BPEA (Baring Private Equity Asia), nudged me out of my comfort zone and made me think out of the box. My internship at BPEA tested my Excel skills as well. This made me realize that there is still considerable scope for learning in Excel itself before I switch to advanced analytical tools like Spotfire and Tableau.

Moreover, I got to work on a fairly diverse mix of projects, know about the existing deals and provide my suggestions on them. I was super thrilled to be a part of the team meetings. These generally involved discussions of potential business opportunities. This was one of the biggest learning experiences. It gave me a rough picture of the key parameters that are taken into account while discussing any company.

What is the work culture at BPEA?

I did not have to move to another city to pursue my internship at Baring Private Equity Asia. Thus, I missed the chance to experience a new city but saved handsomely to compensate for the loss. As expected from any financial role, working hours were long and there was not much respite on the weekends as well. However, the plus point was that the company has 2 off-site visits annually, one of which is international. It allows all the employees of BPEA to network across the globe.

Given a chance, I would grab the opportunity to work with Baring Private Equity Asia with open hands. Since financial roles intrigue me to the core, I would be more than happy to join this company as it provides a repertoire of opportunities in the domain of Finance.

What did I learn from my mentor during the course of my internship at BPEA?

My mentor was a very friendly and humble person. He shared invaluable information about his career, life experiences, and gigantic transition from IT to Finance. Apart from the individual feedback, the biggest takeaway was his view on career building. He always said, “Stay patient, focus on what you do and the results will follow sooner or later.''

To summarise, my internship at Baring Private Equity Asia was an experience of its kind. Given the domain of my role, I got a chance to understand the crux of the Financial World. The invaluable insights of my mentor were quite helpful in putting me through the toughest situations. Interning at Baring Private Equity Asia was one of the best decisions of my life.