What do you consider Citi’s
competitive edge?
Citi Investment Research's "boutique" culture
drives unique insights into Citi's research product. By bundling a
culture of teamwork and global collaboration, similar to the
strategy pursued by many boutique research houses, with Citi's
global breadth and depth of resources creates a unique competitive
edge. For example, our IT services team regularly interacts with
other research teams from across the technology universe, such as
the hardware and software teams, to build a more comprehensive view
into the broader technology landscape. We are also able to bring a
global perspective to our investment ideas by collaborating with
our European and Asian research counterparts.
How do you apply your degree to what
you’re doing now?
Equity research is one of the few dynamic
fields that pulls from nearly all disciplines that I studied while
pursuing my MBA. The need for deep finance and accounting knowledge
is likely obvious. However, equity research also regularly tests my
knowledge of corporate strategy, marketing, operations management,
and human resource management in order to fully understand the
capabilities and competitive positions of the companies that I
cover.
What skills have you found to be the
most useful in your position?
Communication skills are one of the most
important, and most frequently overlooked, skill sets in equity
research. In addition to developing the softer skills necessary to
interact effectively at the CXO-level with the companies we cover,
it is also crucial to be able to distill complex situations into
clear investment recommendations for Citi's investing clients.
What non-work related activities do
you get involved in through Citi?
I am actively involved in Citi's mentoring
activities. As an intern mentor, I enjoy the opportunity to help
students learn about and transition into careers in equity
research. In addition, I have the opportunity to coach full-time
research assistants, who have joined our team out of undergrad as
they begin their careers.
How has Citi supported your career
development?
Citi is clearly focused on developing talent
internally. Citi's training curriculum has helped me to improve my
communication, financial modeling, and accounting skills with a
focus on best practices. One of the highlights from this training
program is the Mock Morning Call which gives associates the
opportunity to present investment ideas to research management,
equity sales professionals, and our research colleagues. Presenters
receive immediate feedback from all parities in attendance,
creating a very actionable learning experience.
How did your summer internship help you
make the decision to pursue a career at Citi?
Citi's summer internship program immerses
candidates into the day-to-day experience of an associate within
Citi Investment Research, and it was this hands-on experience that
led me to pursue a career at Citi. During my summer internship, I
was able to help identify investment ideas within a faster-growing
niche of the relatively slower-growing automotive industry by
conducting fundamental research on all-wheel-drive components. In
addition to digging into component data, I interacted with union
leaders and experts across the industry to build a comprehensive
view of the space across the summer. Finally, I was also able to
experience an earnings season, support an initiation of coverage,
and participate in client calls to round out my view of research at
Citi.
What do you enjoy doing outside of
work?
I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, but
was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Living in such a thriving
urban environment provides countless opportunities to explore the
city and experience its deep culture. I most enjoy walking through
New York City's neighborhoods in search of community fairs and
festivals. Three of these festivals that I have enjoyed most
recently were Taste of Tribeca in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn's
4th Annual Hip Hop Festival featuring DJ Premier and
KRS-One, and a local community Cinco de Mayo fair that I literally
stumbled upon.