My Background

I have spent almost 8 years in Britain now. I started my IGCSE’s in 1998, with a full scholarship given in the name of the President of the Republic of Turkey, at the Turkish International Lycee in Cambridge. After my IGCSE’s, I transferred to St. Clare’s College to study for my International Baccalaureate.

After I finished my IB diploma, I moved to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to study for my degree in Philosophy and Economics. My main interest area at university was the philosophy of economics; especially the insights into the Social Choice Theory. At the LSE, I was also the president of the Turkish Student Society, and with my friends and under the guidance of Dr. Muge Kinacioglu, we had hosted such distinguished guests as Ali Babacan, Ilber Ortayli, Nuray Mert and Abdullah Gul last year.

After graduating from the LSE with First Class Honors this summer, I joined the Deutsche Bank Corporate and Investment Banking division in London.

My personal interests are reading and writing poetry, philosophy, Ottoman history, classical music, Sherlock Holmes stories and tennis. It is also always a pleasure to have dinners and drinks with friends at one of the many restaurants or bars London has to offer.

  My Job

I work as an investment banker at the London Headquarters of the Deutsche Bank Global Banking Division. It is hard to say exactly what I do, since the range of products we offer is very extensive. However, in general, we provide corporate finance advisory services to large corporate clients.

Investment banking is a very fast-paced occupation. Opportunities are abound and a fast career progression is available for those who are determined, committed and have a high degree of self-discipline.

  My Work Environment and Training

As the biggest corporate contemporary art collector in the world, the Deutsche Bank offices have more of a Tate Modern feeling than a standard office block. With paintings and sculptures in every direction, it is indeed a refreshing place. I sometimes see art society groups visiting the bank's premises to have a closer look at the collection.

We really have some very good people here. Beneath the highly formal surface of investment banking in pin-striped suits lays a certain degree of informality, especially among the peer groups and this is something that makes the long and high-pressure hours more easily digestible.

Deutsche Bank provides top-class training for its bankers and this is certainly a must, since the job requires top level of technical knowledge.

  Worst Bits

As any young banker would probably agree, the long and highly unpredictable working hours put pressure on organising your social life and it can be hard to plan for personal time.

  Best Bits

With people from quite a few different countries, speaking many languages, employing a broad-skill set and having a variety of degrees, the work offers a very international and capable atmosphere. Also, the immediate access to the experience of senior bankers help the junior bankers to gain greater insight into the business world.

With covering all of Europe and many other countries, the London Office offers good travelling opportunities, which always adds colour.

I also enjoy the constant, non-stop flow of information. The job rarely gets mundane.

Another highly appreciated benefit should no doubt be the attention the deals we work on attract. With some deals worth several billions of pounds, you can read about what you have done in the newspapers.