As a student of the European Business School, just outside of Frankfurt, Nikolas Pojezny saw his future in the world of investment banking. In the years that followed, he worked hard to transform that dream into reality.
After completing two internships with Morgan Stanley, Nikolas was recruited as an Investment Banking Analyst for the firm’s Global Industrials Group. Two years later, he left to study for his doctorate. He joined the M&A and Global Natural Resources Teams at Goldman Sachs, first as Associate and then as Vice President of Investment Banking – working in New York, Sydney and Frankfurt.
Expecting to meet cultural differences, he encountered a professionalism that he believes still permeates the industry today. “It didn’t matter whether you spoke to someone in Sydney, New York or Frankfurt: they all had the same positive, can-do attitude,” he recalls. “Obviously, regulatory backgrounds differed in different countries, but even then there were a lot of parallels.”
It’s challenging in the sense that every situation is differentNikolas is now responsible for client coverage and transaction execution across Ondra Partners’ existing European client base, while also developing plans for new geographical coverage. “It’s a fascinating business,” he says. “It’s challenging in the sense that every situation is different. You meet a lot of people and you get to be involved in some very important decisions.” Nikolas wouldn’t change a single decision he’s made. “There’s no way you can anticipate the opportunities that will pop up,” he says. “But I am very happy with the way things have panned out.”
His advice for anyone aspiring to work in the City is to consider an internship as a route in. “Ten or 12 years ago, an internship was the way into the industry and I think, to a large extent, it still is,” he says. “For candidates and companies, there is no better way of getting to know someone than spending two or three months working with them.”
He is celebrating winning two prizes at this year’s
CISI’s Annual Awards ceremony, which recognises top performers from around the world in the Institute’s exams. He was presented (pictured above) with the CISI’s Corporate Finance Regulation and overall
Certificate in Corporate Finance awards by Alan Yarrow, Chartered FCSI(Hon), CISI Chairman and Lord Mayor at Mansion House in the City of London.
Nikolas recommends taking the CISI’s qualifications. “The qualifications were a great refresher for me, but they’re even more useful at the start of your career,” he says. “It’s a very practice-orientated curriculum, which is really valuable.”
If you would like to tell us your own back story, email janice.warman@wardour.co.uk.
The original version of this article was published in the March 2015 print edition of the Review.