Doris Salzburger

Name: Doris Salzburger
Employer: BNP Paribas
Area of work: Investment banking
Subject: MSc international business administration
University: Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration

I’ve always been interested in finance. However, my first real encounter with investment banking came when I was working as an accountant in Hong Kong and met a girl who had just quit her job in investment banking. In a casual conversation she told me that it was very challenging, much too quantitative, everybody worked really long hours and it was tough to get into... this didn’t deter me; actually, it felt like a good fit because I was looking for a challenge, wanted to prove myself and loved the idea of continuing to work with figures! A few months later I started work with my current employer.

My job

I now work as an analyst in corporate and investment banking. My main responsibilities are to: originate and execute equity transactions (for example, initial public offerings); draft pitchbooks and presentations for client meetings and marketing road-shows; model and conduct numerical analysis of companies; and provide strategic assessment of the global primary and secondary equity markets. On average I travel for a day each week, normally to see clients in continental Europe. I enjoy going abroad, even though it means getting up early and leaving on the first plane.

Enjoying the challenge

Tight deadlines can be a challenge – preparing a presentation in 24 hours is demanding and additional pressure is added when it is for a high-profile client. That said, working in a very dynamic, international environment allows me to learn and have new experiences on a daily basis. Two years into the job, it is still as exciting and challenging as it was at the beginning. Investment banking pushes my boundaries and it is amazing to see what I’m able to achieve under pressure. It is extremely rewarding to see CEOs and CFOs to discuss the future of their company on the basis of a presentation you have prepared.