In this episode of Career Cast, we interviewed Léonie Kennepohl, co-founder of Female X Finance (FxF), about breaking into finance, industry trends, and career advice. Léonie shares how her own struggles securing internships led to creating FxF, which helps women navigate finance careers. They discuss the skills women bring to finance, the rise of fintech and venture capital, and how AI is reshaping job opportunities. Léonie emphasizes the importance of networking, personal branding, and soft skills in applications, while also highlighting the need for work-life balance and cultural adaptability in finance.

In the fifth episode of CareerCast, we host Harm Heutink and Wouter Brunink from the investment bank Houlihan Lokey. They share their personal journeys into investment banking, reflecting on their student lives and how their academic backgrounds and internships shaped their careers. The discussion touches on the value of extracurricular activities during studies, Wouter's unique transition from a bachelor’s in medicine to a career in investment banking, and key trends in the industry, including AI. They also offer valuable tips for students aiming to break into investment banking and highlight what makes a standout analyst or intern.

In the fourth episode of CareerCast, we welcome Jakob Binder and Teun van de Weijer from the venture capital firm No Such Ventures. They share their personal journeys into the venture capital world, the differences in work culture between investment banking and venture capital and discuss how their academic backgrounds and internships shaped their careers. We get an inside look into the work of a VC analyst, including evaluating pitches, attending events, and selecting investments. They also dive into the different stages of VC funding and share their perspectives on impact investing and the challenges of measuring sustainability in start-ups.

In the third episode of CareerCast, we welcome Jorg Sunderman, Head of Sustainable Asset Management at Cardano, who is also a board member of Voedselbank Haaglanden. Jorg shares his journey into asset management, detailing his education in Rotterdam and his path into Asset Management. He discusses the critical role of internships in his career and provides insights into the daily responsibilities of an asset manager.

Jorg talks about his career progression within Robeco and the advantages of long-term tenure in one company. He also shares his experiences working in India, highlighting the cultural and professional differences and the unique investment landscape.
Sustainability is a key focus, with Jorg discussing the role of asset managers in promoting environmental responsibility and the growing client demand for sustainable investments. He emphasizes working towards a better world through thoughtful investments rather than boycotting companies.

For our second episode we have invited Joris Kil, who is an Investment Director at Rotterdam Port Fund and part-time teacher at Erasmus University for the masters in Financial Economics. We discuss topics like the future of Private Equity (PE), what it is like to work at a PE fund and how real-life deals can differ from the theory that is taught at university.

In this episode we speak with Jason, an associate consultant at Bain & Company. During our conversation we get to touch on what his process was like starting for the firm as well as his personal highlights. Moreover, we shed light on what it is like to start working within strategy consulting.