Investment Banking Graduate Programme

I completed the Women’s Immersion Spring Insight Programme in 2019 and the Investment Banking Summer Internship in 2020, receiving a full time offer for the Investment Banking Graduate Analyst Programme in 2021. I initially heard about Nomura through university and applied for the Women’s Immersion Programme during my first year. It was a 2-week programme at the London office where we were introduced to the firm, provided technical and soft skills training and supported our allocated teams, which in my case was FIG. The experience was a great introduction to Investment Banking and helped me develop a deeper understanding of the industry.

Following the insight programme, I was fast-tracked to interviews for the 2020 Summer Internship and secured a place on the Investment Banking Sector Teams track. The insight I gained into the firm and its positioning through the Spring Insight Programme greatly guided my research while preparing to interview. I joined the Healthcare team for the summer programme and really enjoyed my experience so decided to re-join the team as a full-time analyst the following year after graduate training.

I enjoy working in banking as it is a fast-paced learning environment and at Nomura, you are often exposed to clients at a very early stage. Working in smaller teams gave me opportunities to take on responsibility from the get go; the atmosphere here is entrepreneurial and so proactivity and ownership are key attributes for analysts. Working in a sector team also allows you to understand the industry from a very detailed standpoint whilst working across all verticals.

The amount of progress I have seen in my work over the course of a year is substantial, especially when it comes to technical skills. My first two months on the healthcare team probably sparked the most amount of learning I have ever achieved in the shortest period of time, degree included. My internship was virtual due to COVID, so it was clear that being in office and around my colleagues gave me a more holistic and in-depth perspective into banking.

There is a lot of opportunity for growth and I feel like I’m at a stage where I can start to take more ownership of my projects. The responsibility given to me by my seniors really helps personal growth and lays out a clear path for further development. Over the course of the next year, I aim to keep honing my technical skills and present more on calls, both internal and client facing.

My advice to prospective applicants is to research Nomura and figure out why you want to join this firm and industry over others. Make sure you do read up, prepare adequately and demonstrate your enthusiasm to set yourself up for the summer internship if successful.