Hari completed an accounting honours degree in 2004 at the University of New South Wales in the faculty of Commerce and Economics. After his third year he worked as a summer analyst at Goldman Sachs JB Were (GSJBW) and spent three months in its investment banking team. On graduating, he got a job with GSJBW’s investment banking division, which is predominantly corporate finance advisory work.
What does your work entail?
It is very project-based. Unlike the trading/markets side of things where every second counts, on an M&A transaction I could be working on a project that takes up to six months to complete. We advise large corporations on major strategic initiatives – mergers, acquisitions, IPOs, leveraged buyouts, or debt financing. On any day I might be at a client meeting, valuing their business – if they want to sell – or a target business they might want to buy. We advise our clients on approach tactics and offer a capital markets perspective in our advice. We also develop initiatives, do a whole range of financial analyses, and present opportunities clients might be interested in.
Do you work really long hours?
While on a transaction, the hours can be very long, but the adrenaline and the excitement keep you going. Between deals, the hours are better, though I do end up working pretty late most days.
What’s best about your work?
I enjoy the client focus in investment banking. I interact with clients on a day-to-day basis and it feels great to be involved in shaping the strategic direction of large corporations. I like the fact that, at a very young age, you can be involved in advising very senior clients about their strategic initiatives. I’m pretty fired up about the area and get great satisfaction from being able to influence the stock market and corporate sector.
I have been fortunate to be involved in multi-billion dollar deals as well as private market sell-side transactions. You see two companies coming together and achieving synergies, changing the corporate characteristics of both – it’s exciting to be a part of. The tactics and dynamics of the negotiations are very interesting. So many skills are needed in this job, and you learn and sharpen up every day.
What’s on the horizon?
I see myself at some time in the near future doing a stint with Goldman Sachs overseas. But I want to come back. You wouldn’t want to leave Australia; it’s a beautiful country.
Hari's tips:
- Try to do an internship. It’s a great way to see if it’s really what you want to do, and the company also gets to test you and see if you fit.
- Make sure you’ve got the passion and drive for the job you’re considering.
- Enjoy university. It’s one of the best times in your life and presents so many opportunities to learn, but also to establish a pattern of creating a work-life balance.
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