Women’s Finance Insight Programme: “A golden opportunity” – See why

So, what’s the Women’s Finance Insight Programme (WFIP) all about? Why did the students apply, what are their expectations and goals, and how was the first session out of six?

We have asked four of the participants from each country to share their aspirations, thoughts and take-aways; say hi to Pernille Marie (DK), Mina (NO), Emelie (SE) and Iida (FI). We’ll follow them throughout the programme, and invite you to tag along and familiarise with the world of finance seen through the students’ eyes.

The programme runs during spring 2023 and consists of six sessions where the students will meet various Nordea employees from different IB&E units, who will share their experiences and knowledge with the participants. The students will, among others, learn about finance and valuation, and get to practise with real-life cases – and in totality gain insight to what it is like to work in investment banking at Nordea.

Now, let’s meet two of the participants, Pernille and Mina – to be followed by Emelie and Iida.

Pernille Marie Dalgaard, Denmark 

Third-year student in the tri-continental GLOBAL SCLM programme (DK/CA/CN) at Copenhagen Business School.

Why did you apply to the Women’s Finance Insight Programme? 

I have long been curious about the fast-paced and dynamic world of investment banking and equities.  After reading last year’s blogs about WFIP at Nordea’s “Meet our Talents” blog, and having talked to former participants of your programme, I was inspired to know more, and decided to apply to the programme.

What are your expectations of WFIP? 

I aspire to gain a unique insight into Nordea IB&E from experienced individuals in the industry. The programme is a golden opportunity to gain first-hand exposure to different career paths and build a network of like-minded women. Additionally, I hope that the programme will help me gain an even better understanding of the culture and values of Nordea, and see how the bank supports diversity and inclusion.

What did the first session concern - what were your takeaways? 

In the first session, we were introduced to the different career paths within IB&E at Nordea. Moreover, we discussed our expectations, our goals, and interests. The main takeaway was how the day-to-day work varied depending on the department, time of year, and specific projects and clients.

Did anything surprise you during the session? 

I was pleasantly surprised by the level of engagement and enthusiasm among the fellow participants. Everyone was eager to share their experiences and goals, and it was great to hear about the different career opportunities within IB&E, and to get a sense of the passion and energy that drives this industry. Additionally, I appreciated the emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and the way that the Nordea representatives made everyone feel welcomed and valued.

What was the best thing(s) about the first session? 

It was a pleasure to meet the other participants and learn about their backgrounds. One could feel how passionate the Nordea employees we met are about their work. They did an excellent job in making us all feel welcome. Overall, the first meeting was an inspiring introduction to the programme, and a great start to what I hope will be a rewarding experience.

Mina Linnestad (23), Norway 

Studies at NHH Norwegian School of Economics.

Why did you apply to WFIP? 

I wanted to learn more about the divisions within Nordea, and how they interlink. Furthermore, I will attend an internship here at Nordea this summer, so I thought it would be a good way to get an overview and see what I can expect ahead. And now, I am even more excited for the summer internship. I also find it very interesting that the programme focuses on taking on a practitioner’s perspective, and that we are able to discuss and hear from employees working with these business cases. 

What do you expect to gain from the programme?

I expect to get more hands-on experience, and get to meet and discuss with other students from different schools and study programmes. In addition, I will hopefully learn more about the different divisions, and thereby gain more insight to help me decide what I would like to work with after finishing my degree. 

What were your takeaways from the first session?

The first session started with an introduction by Nordea and of all the participants in the programme, followed by a tour around the office in Oslo. After lunch, we got a short introduction from all the divisions within IB&E. Lastly, we discussed a case regarding strategic analysis and valuation of analysis, and also went through the solution with some of the employees.

I learned a lot of tips and tricks on how to approach cases like these; how and where to find relevant information, and also different methods for valuation. Key takeaway; you can take a lot of different perspectives, because there are many ways to solve these cases. 

Did anything surprise you?

All the people we met were so warm and welcoming. They were very engaged in their work, and wanted to tell us about what tasks they were working on. No matter how busy they were, they always took time to answer our questions, and told us about the different possibilities at Nordea. 

What was the best thing(s) about the first session?

The best thing was the office tour. This is because we got the opportunity to ask a lot of questions to the various employees with very different educational backgrounds and positions at Nordea. However, I also enjoyed working on the case, and hearing how the people working in equities would have solved it. It was also great to meet other ambitious women attending the programme for the same reason as myself; to learn more about finance and a career in investment banking. 

Stay tuned for a blog by Emelie and Iida from Sweden and Finland, respectively. Meanwhile, you can read some of the blogs by the participants of last year’s WFIP: “How our Women’s Finance Insight Programme can kick-start your career – do like Julie” and “Big success to be continued” – you can find more information about WFIP here.