ABOUT

Tell us who you are!

Hey I’m Sachin and I’d generally sum myself up as a continuously curious individual that’s willing to always try and learn new things – from reading books to skydiving halfway around the world! My current occupation is a Banker working in the City of London, but if I’m not at my desk you’ll likely find me travelling with my camera taking street photography.

So what do you actually do?

My current role is a form of portfolio management for the bank. In simplified terms, the bank takes on assets (i.e. gives out a loan), and I sell those assets to institutional investors (other banks, funds etc) that have risk appetite to purchase those assets. Through the mechanics of the sale we make money on the deal. We also buy assets too and earn income that way.

What has your career path been?

I’ve been constantly challenged in my career path, from A-Levels all the way to the present day. Having not achieved the grades I wanted to in school, I took a gap year (truly character building!) before re-taking some exams and studying Economics at university. That gap year gave me a drive and work ethic that’s still instilled within me today. It enabled me to leave university with first class honours, but also give me the confidence to apply and interview with a number of banks upon graduating. I joined the bank that I’m currently almost immediately and I’ve had three different roles here. The current one being my favourite and one which I’ve been doing for a number of years. During this time I also decided to challenge myself and take on a professional finance qualification that required a huge amount of dedication and sacrifice so that I could maintain my work and juggle my social life. It was worth it as now I have something that gives me the option to propel me into new career opportunities!

What is the best part of your job?

I get to develop a number of relationships with global institutions (my clients) who all have their own slightly different cultural quirks and risk appetite. It means I get to have a lot of face-to-face interactions, which I think is key to balance the hours you can spend in front of your screen. There’s also the added perks of being able to travel internationally to see clients. Some transactions with clients can be closed quite easily, whilst others require a lot more work. This variety is what keeps it engaging!

Why do you do your job?

I think it’s fair to say you rarely hear kids dream about being in finance! I’m no different, but I do very much enjoy combining the strengths of my educational endeavours with a role that isn’t predictable and has you in close face-to-face contact with international clients. If you have an interest in the economy, financial markets, politics, new technologies and like to combine that with client engagement and provide solutions, then the finance route might be for you.

One piece of advice for someone starting in your role?

Being just exam/book smart won’t get you far if you’re not able to be personable, communicate clearly and build trust. I firmly believe all technical skills can be learnt regardless of someone’s educational background, but your soft skills are who you are and what sets you apart. Enhance those by getting out in the real world, i.e. solo travel or take on some part time work that exposes you to all people in society.

Any parting words?

Always be authentic and provide a strong work ethic to your role as this will undoubtedly give off an impression of consistency, integrity and trust to your seniors. Being different is an asset, and a positive reputation can open a number of career doors!

Check out Sachin’s Twitter below!

DAY IN THE LIFE

A typical day starts with coffee first and foremost, before catching up on any overnight emails. Over the week we generally have 2/3 quick team meetings to discuss upcoming transactions (or pipeline) which we are expected to manage proactively as well as discuss anything urgent that’s hit our desk and requires immediate attention. Following these morning meetings I would then check in on a number of transactions being offered by clients in the market which we might look to buy. After this (and if I haven’t yet been pulled into an ad-hoc meeting) I would usually make a few client calls to gauge their risk appetite to buy assets. By this point it can easily be lunch - usually a quick purchase outside that’s swiftly eaten at the desk. Occasionally I may have a client meeting in the diary which mostly requires me to travel to someone’s offices close by. Towards the later stages of the afternoon I’d try look after non critical work that’s still required to get us over the line with a transaction - this could involve speaking to a number of other relevant departments or senior management. Days are typically well managed but there are moments which can be highly pressured and disrupt your initially planned day as responses require fast turnarounds. Staying cool and still delivering in these moments is what makes you memorable with your peers and bosses.