There’s much more to Boston than a rich history and a World Series winning baseball team.
The city is also the center of the investment management industry and houses several of the industry’s largest firms. Among those firms is Eaton Vance, a Darden recruiting partner, one of the oldest investment management firms in the U.S. and — according to a recent Financial Times article — a top five performer in global asset management over the past several years.
Class of 2020 students Adrian Moral, Charles Perkins, Church Waesche and Werth Roddy recently visited Eaton Vance, Polen Capital, Wellington Asset Management, MFS Investment Management and Cambridge Associates as part of Darden’s first investment management job trek to Boston, coordinated by the CDC and Darden’s Capital Management Club (DCM). Joining the students were Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management Associate Director Aaron Fernstrom and CDC Senior Director of Financial Services Careers Paul Reeder.
With five percent of Darden’s Class of 2018 entering careers in investment management, venture capital and private equity, this inaugural trek responds to a growing trend in students seeking employment in those sectors. The trip also included a networking event with local alumni in financial management. Moral, a First Year from Mexico, referred to the alumni reception as “one of the best networking opportunities I have experienced so far.”
“This trek helped introduce our students to several investment management companies and the alumni who work there, as well as provide insights into what it takes to start a career in an industry that is very difficult to access,” Reeder said. By visiting the headquarters of these firms, the four First Year students Reeder called “most committed to the investment management world” were able to introduce themselves and network with companies leading the way in investment management.
“The trip offered unique opportunities to meet directly with analysts and portfolio managers to discuss industry insights and advice for pursuing a career in investment management,” said Roddy, a First Year and member of the Finance and DCM clubs, among others.
Waesche, who is a fellow First Year with an interest in equity research and portfolio management, agreed with his classmate. “The Boston trek was a vital first real-world opportunity to visit and learn about several different firms in the investment management industry, seek advice for our stock pitches and connect with Darden alumni in the industry who were in our shoes just a short time ago,” Waesche said. He believes that the information gained in just two days in Boston will be “incredibly important” as Waesche and his classmates recruit in an industry that can take time and effort to enter.
“The students were able to get a better understanding of what it takes to truly standout in the highly competitive investment management field,” said Reeder, who shared one of many valuable pieces of advice gained on the trip: “Don’t have just one stock that you can pitch, have five!”
