BANKING & FINANCE INTERVIEWS

Benedix Success Interviews

At Benedix, we have passionately pursued the answers to the questions, “What makes City leaders? What do top achievers in the City do differently? How can we achieve and get the same results?”

By meeting top City leaders, from the lessons of top business people, through meeting those who don’t achieve in the City and the research of psychology and peak performance experts we have seen that City leadership is a skill that can be acquired through a commitment to self development and carefully spending your time learning the lessons of leaders in the finance sector.

We are proud to publish these interviews for those who seek a career in finance in the City. The interviews are to be used in order to gain a greater understanding of individual roles within the City and most importantly to model success. There is a science to achievement and by learning from those who have already produced the results you want, your path to success in the City will be faster. To "reinvent the wheel" is to duplicate a basic method that has long since been accepted and even taken for granted. There are plenty of wheels to be taken from our interviews with City leaders.

We believe that when you apply yourself to learning the skills of those who achieved highly in the City your long-term success in finance is guaranteed.

SALES TRADING

Interview with a sales trader at CityIndex

I met Roger, a sales trader, on the City Index trading floor in Moorgate. Roger has worked his way up from the bottom working in a number of different markets, for a number of different companies, with a range of products in a number of countries. Roger shares his insights in what it takes to make it to the top in trading.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF TRADING

Interview with a proprietary trading coach

Since 1983 Dr David Paul has researched every possible method of consistently removing points from actively traded markets. These methods have been presented and implemented by experienced traders in both South Africa and the UK.

He has taught his strategies and coached traders for listed Investment Banks and trading houses. When performance levels drop on a trading desk there is invariably a cause; it is David’s responsibility to find out why and subsequently provide a coaching solution to raise performance for proprietary traders.

David goes into trading floors assessing the performance of teams of traders.

This interview provides a massive insight in to the art and psychology of trading, and is recommended for anyone considering going into trading or wants to understand what it takes to become successful.

ISLAMIC FINANCE & WORKING FOR A SMALLER BANK

An Interview with Natalie Schoon of the Bank of London and the Middle East

Dr. Natalie Schoon run an educational programme on Islamic Banking for the Securities and Investments Institute and I was recommended to contact her for her unique insights into Islamic banking. After studying economics Natalie worked in software for the finance sector. Natalie’s first job in a bank was at a Dutch investment house, and then ABN Amro, based in Amsterdam.

Natalie ran the operations of a small Dutch bank in Bahrain before moving to London and currently works for the Bank of London and the Middle East (BLME), an Islamic Investment bank. I met Natalie at her office in BLME in order to conduct the interview below on a growing area in the Banking sector.

This interview provides an insight into the benefits of working for a smaller bank or institution and an introduction to the growth-area that is Islamic finance.

SUCCESS IN PRIVATE EQUITY

Interview with Amit Prassana of Deloitte Private Equity

Amit began his career in accounting, and moved into audit at Barclays Capital before obtaining his current role in corporate finance at Deloitte advising private equity clients. He has recently moved to India to join a team of corporate financiers in India’s growing market with Deloitte.

Amit has experience obtaining graduate jobs during hard economic times and offers valuable insights into the process of finding your ideal role in banking and finance. This interview discusses strategies for success in interviews and is recommended for anyone about to apply for a career in banking and finance.