Name: Victoria Borodina
Class Year: 2021
Major: Biology and Economics
Hometown: Novosibirsk, Russia
Internship Organization:
Job Title: Firm Strategy and Execution
Location: New York, NY (remote)
What’s happening at your internship?
This summer, I was privileged to join Morgan Stanley as a Firm Strategy and Execution (FSE) summer analyst. As a summer analyst, I had an opportunity to work on strategy projects and principal M&A transactions along with the other FSE team members and senior management of the firm. Despite the virtual format of the internship, I was able to get involved with multiple ongoing projects in the two aforementioned focus areas of the group.
I have truly enjoyed the dual nature of the group—both the M&A and the strategic consulting aspects—as it gave me an opportunity to develop both investment banking and strategic consulting skillsets by getting involved in the projects that shape the future of Morgan Stanley. I was further able to enhance my understanding of the global financial services industry by working on the strategic development of Morgan Stanley and learning about the fundamentals of company valuation and deal sourcing.
Why did you apply for this internship?
As a double major in biology and economics, I always had a multitude of interests, and thus was looking for a position that would encompass a wide range of responsibilities and allow me to develop multiple skillsets simultaneously. Building on my experiences in finance and consulting that I have obtained through completing a sales and trading internship at Deutsche Bank and being a founder of 180 Degrees Consulting of ±¬ÁÏ¹Ï and Haverford Colleges respectively, Morgan Stanley’s Firm Strategy and Execution was a natural fit for my interests. As the group focuses on strategic consulting and M&A Execution projects both, it gave me a unique opportunity to build both strategic consulting and investment banking skillsets at the same time. Further, I was thrilled by an opportunity to join one of the world's foremost financial institutions, learning from some of the brightest finance professionals early on in my career.
Can you talk about the skills you are learning and why they are important to you?
The dual nature of FSE provides me with a unique opportunity to develop both strategic consulting and M&A investment banking skillsets, which I find truly exciting. As a young professional with many different interests, I have yet to define the direction of my career and thus have always strived to gain as diverse of a skillset as possible. Gaining exposure to both the technical skills through financial modeling and company valuation and problem-solving skills through the strategic development projects allows me to be challenged and to build a broad skillset that is transferrable to any industry and/or a future position. Ultimately, such a comprehensive skillset gives me an excellent starting ground for a career in financial services.
What is most rewarding about your internship?
Seeing my everyday progress has been truly rewarding. I am continuously fascinated by the amount of information and knowledge I am able to accumulate on an everyday basis. Just a few weeks into the internship, I was able to build a financial model from scratch, taking ownership of my work. I was further able to actively engage and to make meaningful contributions to multiple ongoing projects in both strategic consulting and M&A execution areas. Hence, overcoming the steep learning curve while learning something new every day has definitely been a highlight of my internship.
Visit the Summer 2020 Internships page to read more student stories.