Summer Intern Spotlight: Global Perspectives

Tell me a little bit about yourself and what you’re doing at the firm this summer?  

Michele: I am from London and decided to stay here for college and go to the London School of Economics (LSE), where I am studying economics. At school, I became a portfolio manager for Global Platinum Securities, which is a value investing fund that’s also partnered with universities in the U.S.  I’m a Point72 Academy Intern in the London office.  

Jannatul: I am born and raised in Bangladesh and am studying at Asian University for Women (AUW), majoring in economics with a minor in mathematics and finance. Point72 sponsors students from AUW in hopes of offering opportunities for us to be exposed to the finance industry. I am working as a Corporate Accounting Intern in the Hong Kong office, helping to prepare and roll forward monthly financial reports, invoices, and performance figures.  

Ksawery: I grew up in Warsaw, and I’m currently attending the University of Warsaw, earning a double degree in mathematics and economics. I was in the quantitative finance club at school. This summer, I am interning on the Operations team helping with Python optimization used for monthly tasks such as backups or reports. This is what my final project is based on, and this is an opportunity to present and further develop my programming skills in a way that I hope will be helpful for the whole team.  

How has your experience been at Point72 so far?  

Michele: It’s been really great. I think one of the things that surprised me most—and in a good way—was how much responsibility and autonomy I was given in my work product. My team provided the infrastructure to seek help if needed—and it definitely was needed. I asked a lot of questions, but everyone was very willing to provide support while letting you learn on your own.  

Jannatul: My experience has been amazing. I have always been eager to learn, and I think this internship fosters an environment that pushes you to grow personally and professionally.  

Ksawery: My manager has been awesome, always helping us if we are having issues or problems with our projects. All the people are very nice and welcoming. There are many other planned activities outside of work that help connect people not only in the office, but also outside of it.  

What do you think has been your biggest challenge this summer? 

Michele: Learning how to forecast model and how to handle trying to see the future effectively. I came in with the mindset that my job is a lot about precision and trying to find the answer, but there is a slim chance that something I predict will go exactly according to plan. I now appreciate that a range of possibilities can happen. Overall, my biggest challenge was abandoning precision and just appreciating a range of outcomes and being very open-minded. 

Jannatul: Adapting to the fast nature of the firm. It is easy to get defeated in the beginning by trying to keep up with everything. However, a few weeks in, I acclimated to the pace and increased my productivity. 

Ksawery: I think my biggest challenge is yet to come because soon I’ll be helping my team complete tasks as soft close for operations is approaching and it is our busier time.  I am ready for the challenge because I think my work all summer long has prepared me for it. 

How has working at a global firm shaped your internship experience? 

Michele: It put to the forefront the importance of having a global perspective. We have offices around the world, and everyone’s ultimately working on the same thing, gaining insights on different businesses and global markets. It creates an environment where you are constantly reminded to understand different perspectives from people around the world.  

Jannatul: I think what stood out to me the most is the interaction with other people in different global offices. Getting to hear about other people’s career paths and expertise from all around the world has been such a unique experience. 

Ksawery:  I think it helps with the global networking projects because every week we gain insights from interns in different offices. We exchange our opinions; we discuss how working at Point72 differs between cities—how it’s different in Warsaw versus New York. I think it’s a good thing we can exchange our experiences, and it gives you this satisfaction that you are working for a big company in an interesting industry. 

What is your favorite thing about the city you’re working in? 

Michele: London attracts a lot of cool and very intelligent people from all around the world, so it creates a fun environment to be around.  

Jannatul: Everyone is so nice in Hong Kong. When I first got there, I didn’t know my way around the city at all and people were always so willing to help me and give me directions. This city is also very clean and safe. I think those two things are what stood out to me the most.  

Ksawery: I’ve lived in Warsaw my whole life and I love it here. I would say my favorite thing is the infrastructure. I think it’s getting very modern and developing very quickly. So, it’s good to see how your city is evolving and catching up to the other finance capitals of the world. 

What hobbies do you do in your free time?  

Michele: I enjoy watching and playing tennis. Whenever I have a moment, you’ll find me watching a match and I’ll always be trying to get out and play on the courts in the middle of the campus at the LSE!

Jannatul: I love gardening when I am home, and I also love listening to music and hanging out with my friends. 

Ksawery: I have recently started playing tennis again. I played when I was younger but just started to pick it back up. I have also been playing more football recently, especially with people in our Warsaw office.