1. What is corporate finance?
Wake on Wall Street
What is corporate finance?

2. Corporate Finance What is corporate finance?
What are the different opportunities?
What is a typical day like for an analyst?
Which companies offer development programs?
How is it different than investment banking?
Who can I reach out to for more information?

3. What is Corporate Finance?
Can mean a lot of different things … in this context it refers to the in- house finance professionals of a Fortune 500 Corporation
In general, responsible for ensuring that a company meets its financial targets and investor commitments
Fantastic pipeline to leadership (CEO, CFO) roles later in one’s career
Opportunity to learn a business “from the ground up” and the accounting/financial concepts that accompany it
Experience is highly variable depending on size and industry
Many entry-level development programs exist to fast-track young talent

4. Opportunities (Ex: General Electric)
Financial Planning & Analysis/C’ship
Business Development
Investor
relations
Treasury
Commercial finance
Budgeting, Forecasts and earnings
Variance analysis
Strategic insight & presentations
Internal audit
Accounting oversight
Raise firm capital
Manage liquidity
Manage/track credit rating
Hedge exposures (ex. Interest rates, commodities, FX)
Financing & structure of industrial transactions
Facilitate credit for customers
In-house at larger firms (GE, SIE, CAT)
Internal M&A & strategy
Lead acquisitions and divestitures
Perform internal valuations
Interface with banks
Great exit opp. for IB professionals
Lead communications with investor community
Interface with buy & sell-side stakeholders
Track consensus & research reports
Career Trajectory:
Career Trajectory:
Career Trajectory:
Career Trajectory:
Career Trajectory:
Chief Financial Officer/ Chief Accounting Officer
SVP of Corporate Treasury
MD, CEO/CFO
SVP of Business Development
SVP of Investor Relations
Every company will be slightly different
in terminology/opportunities

5. Typical day in GE FMP program
Typical non-quarter-close day
What to expect
8:00 AM – Arrive and check s
Hours are usually ~60 per week excl. quarter close
For quarter close, workload can reach 90 hrs/wk
Many entry-level programs combine classwork and rotational assignments
Heavy focus on accounting
Insights impact the business operations and plans
Consolidation and systems issues an unfortunate part of entry-level responsibilities
Generally encouraged to take appropriate vacation
Schedules are relatively defined in advance
8:30 AM – Meet with manager to discuss segment operating plan
9:00 AM – Prepare analysis to respond to manager’s questions
11:00 AM – Review analysis with manager, make necessary clarifications & adjustments
12:00 PM – Grab lunch with peers
12:30 PM – Finish analysis & prepare presentation with results for CFO
2:00 PM – Meet with divisional CFO to discuss operating plan & business outlook
3:00 PM – Review operating plan with supply chain & commercial teams
4:00 PM – Submit operating plan to Corporate
5:00 PM – Ad-hoc analysis for FP&A manager
7:00 PM – Head home
Better work/life balance vs. IB, but highly dependent
on company culture & quarter-close timing

6. Notable training programs
Company
Leadership Program
What to look for GE
FMP
Johnson & Johnson
FLDP
Established track record training finance talent
Internal prestige and name-recognition
Well-defined pipeline and career progression
Notable examples of program graduates who have succeeded in leadership roles later in their careers (CEOs, CFOs)
Opportunities to expand horizons (classroom work, international experiences, rotational programs, etc)
Opportunities to interface with commercial and operational aspects of the business
UTC
FLP
The Hartford
FDP
EMC
FRTP
Honeywell
FRDP
Raytheon
FLDP
BAE Systems
FLDP
Lockheed Martin
FLDP
Nationwide
FLRP
Whirlpool
FLDP
Genworth Financial
FDP
AT&T
LDP
Sears
Business Analyst Program
Kimberly Clark
FADP
BNSF
Management Trainee Program
Target
Finance Associate
Microsoft
FRP
Plus many others … target specific industries or locations

7. How does it compare to IB?
Investment banking
Corporate finance
Advise on mergers and acquisitions
Retain investment bank for advice on mergers and acquisitions (you are the client)
Underwrite debt and equity issuances
Take on debt and raise equity with which to grow and fund the business
Generally don’t “make” anything … a services business
Often sell a tangible product
Hours and expectations extremely strenuous
Non-quarter-close hours manageable, often slower paced depending on firm culture
Higher immediate post-graduate compensation
Lower immediate post-graduate compensation
Valuation, financial modeling skill development
Accounting/general management skill development
Both offer tremendous post-graduate opportunities … learn more about specific firms & segments

8. Getting a job in corporate finance
Learn more about specific firms and opportunities
Wake on Wall Street contact list
WIN alumni database
Company websites (may have slightly more luck with online resume drops vs. IB)
Career Services
Before you interview:
Read EVERYTHING on the company website
Read the company 10-k, most recent 10Q, and investor presentations … ask a question of the interviewer demonstrating your knowledge
Read about industry trends
Ask younger alumni for insight into the interview process for specific companies (can vary widely between company cultures)