Corporate finance: transaction services executive

Richard is a transaction services executive at Deloitte. He studied business modelling and completed an MA in banking & finance at Sheffield Hallam University. He is ACA qualified.

My job

My department provides financial due diligence services for clients involved in mergers and acquisitions. When I am working on a deal, I will start off visiting the target business as part of a project team, gathering information, meeting with management and gaining a thorough understanding of its operations. It’s then back to the office to analyse and write up our findings into a report that is used by our clients to help make an informed investment decision.

Variety

I like the variety of businesses that I get to work with. So far I have worked on projects involving the engineering, IT, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services and oil industries, along with some public sector work too. Such a broad variety means that I am constantly learning and gaining more experience. Studying for the ACA qualification has further developed the necessary skills.

Do your research

My advice to graduates interested in corporate finance is to do lots of research and speak to a lot of people about the firms, the jobs and the qualifications available. Having a good understanding of the industry will put you in good standing for interviews.