The attending students in Copenhagen enjoy their first WFIP session with introductions by Nordea's Head of Markets Trading, Morten Rasmussen, and Head of Investment Banking & Equities, Lars Fischer.
Women’s Finance Insight Programme kick-off – tag along, hear the students’ motivations and first impressions
18-02-2024 11:31
It was with anticipation and excitement, we once again could kick off our annual Nordea Women’s Finance Insight Programme at our headquarters in Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. As always, it’s a pleasure to meet and greet students interested in finance, and this year we’re thrilled to welcome over 55 students.
During seven sessions in the spring, the students will gain hands-on experience and insight to the world of finance, as they, among other things, get to practice on valuation, teamwork on case cracking, and get to meet and network with our expert colleagues from Nordea Markets and Investment Banking & Equities - let alone make new friends with fellow students likewise curious about finance.
To best give you an idea of what the programme is all about, we let some of the attending students share their impressions and learnings. Meet Alva from Sweden, Julia from Denmark, Aleksanda from Finland and Olivia from Norway. They will blog about their experiences throughout the programme – and give you a taste of the work life and varied job opportunities in the Markets and Investment Banking & Equities divisions. Kicking off now – tag along 😉.
Why did you apply to our Women’s Finance Insight Programme (WFIP)?
I came across the programme through the KTH Finance Society, which is a student organization for students interested in finance at KTH University. I was drawn to the programme because I've been curious to learn more about the many career paths in finance, particularly at Nordea. It seemed like a wonderful chance to explore this in a more private and laid-back setting with other participants who share my interests.
What do you expect to gain from the programme?
I hope to not only learn about the practices of various divisions within Nordea but also actively participate and gain hands-on experience for an even deeper understanding. Along with the other programme participants, I am especially looking forward to picking up knowledge and inspiration from the successful women who have shaped Nordea today. I also hope to learn more about the connections between the tasks of the various divisions to gain a better understanding of the financial sector as a whole.
The students are introduced to Corporate Finance and Leveraged Finance at headquarters in Stockholm.
Did anything surprise you during the first session?
It surprised me to hear that several speakers in the first session shared their experiences of being actively involved and making a substantial impact on broader processes at Nordea early in their careers. I thought this was pleasantly surprising, as I had initially expected that there would be a more narrow focus on specific tasks, especially in the early stages of the career.
Studying Masters of Science in Finance at Aarhus University.
Why did you apply to WFIP?
I saw a post about this programme on one of the social media platforms. I thought it was an excellent opportunity to delve deeper into finance and investment banking from a practical point of view and talk with bankers with many years of experience.
What do you expect to gain from the programme during this spring?
I aim to achieve three key objectives: Explore various areas of investment banking. Get inspired to discover fields where I would like to work and uncover some captivating research questions. Connect with fellow female students who pursue a career in finance.
Students gathered at the balcony overlooking the trading floor in Copenhagen - the biggest trading floor in the Nordics.
Did anything surprise you during the first session?
The trading floor was a big surprise to me. I thought there would be a big screen showing the real life changes in the financial markets (e.g. charts, exchanges, news etc.). Instead, people had three to six screens on each work station.
I found the programme while scrolling through career opportunities at Nordea. I read the previous applicants' blog posts and thought it would be a great way to get introduced to Nordea's working culture, and get insight to the different teams in LC&I. I have always been interested in working in investment banking. However, I feel like it may be hard to decide in which department I would suit the best, and enjoy working in. Hopefully I will get closer to an answer during the programme.
What do you expect to gain from the programme during this spring?
I am mostly looking forward to the different cases and to learning about what teams inside Nordea do, specifically to the sessions covering equity research and corporate finance. I am also looking forward to the networking opportunities and the possibility of getting inspired about others' career paths.
Introduction to Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at Nordea.
Did anything surprise you during the first session?
A few things; firstly, it was amazing to see how nice the other participants were, and I am looking forward to getting to know them better and working with them during the next sessions. Second, I was also positively surprised by Nordea's effort in regards to diversity & inclusion, and how they are actively trying to make an impact.
Third-year student at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).
Why did you apply to WFIP?
I read about the program in a post on LinkedIn, and saw the program as a golden opportunity to gain unique insight into the various fields of finance. I have only had a few finance courses until now, and I saw this as an opportunity to enhance my finance skills further and get a deeper understanding of everything the field consists of.
What do you expect to gain from the programme during this spring?
I expect to learn more about what a typical workday looks like and gain more insight to help me decide what I want to work with after finishing my degree. I also hope to gain hands-on experience through case studies and real-world examples, and network with the other participants and employees at Nordea. In addition, I’m looking forward to learning more about the bond and FX markets, which is a new addition to the program, and a field I am currently less familiar with.
Introduction to the LC&I ESG team.
Did anything surprise you during the first session?
It surprised me that everyone we met was so warm and welcoming. All the employees were eager to share their experiences and showed true passion for their work. They wanted to tell us all about their tasks and could probably talk about it for hours, if they didn’t have a time limit. It also surprised me how the link between the divisions is organized and how they work together.
This first day really inspired me, and I’m looking forward to the next.
Warm welcome to this year's talented students - here they're mingling, getting to know each other at the first session in Stockholm.
Stay tuned for more insight in the next blog from the talented students attending WFIP 2024. Meanwhile, you can find more information about the programme here - and find further inspiration in some of the diverse career blogs.
Interested in a career in Nordea LC&I?
Nordea Large Corporates & Institutions LC&I) is the leading international capital operator and investment banking partner in the Nordic region. Let some of our student interns, graduates as well as experienced professionals explain it to you; how it works, what we do, and about the many career opportunities we can offer you.
Explore the possibilities within LC&I, Markets and Investment Banking:
