Varun Gianchaandani | A&M

Varun Gianchandani currently works at Alvarez and Marsal since 2017. Prior to joining Alvarez and Marsal, Varun was at Tresvista Financial Services from 2015 – 2017. Varun holds an a B.Com. from the University of Mumbai. Varun will be sharing his experience from his stint at Alvarez and Marsal focusing on sharing insights about the Investment Banking industry in India.

Interview

How did you recruit for this role? What would your advice be for potential candidates aspiring to get here? (recruiting strategy, cycle, process etc.)

I was applying for the position of Analyst. There were 3 interview rounds taken by Manager, Director and Managing Director respectively

Advice: Just know basic and most common finance theories learnt in college – Multiples, DCF, NPV, IRR, Ratios etc.

What are the key skills that are required for this role?

Strong power-point and excel skills. Understanding and ability to create 3-statement financial models. A lot of commitment and ability to work under high-pressure situations.

What is the typical feeder profile (typical previous work experience) for this industry in general and for your firm in particular?

Prior to joining Alvarez and Marsal I was working at a KPO, Tresvista Financial Services. Tresvista undertakes a comprehensive 1-month training for their new hires, which was very beneficial. The training involved understanding excel and word bascis

Is there an education path that is preferred for getting a role in this industry?

A CA or CFA is generally preferred

What is your total team size and what is the typical team staffing on a case/deal?

Total team size of 30 members. A typical deal team includes Associate, Manager, Director, Managing Director (Only supervisory role)

What is a typical day at work for you?

Research / pitches along with project work

What are your key responsibilities and deliverable on a case/deal?

Overall execution – Information Memorandums, financial models, pitchbooks, speaking to clients on data requests

What is the typical exit that people get from this role?

Larger investment banks, private equity, distressed asset funds, ARCs, corporate strategy

What are the pros and cons about this role?

Pros – Multi-sector experience, fast paced, steep learning curve

Cons – Working hours

What are your typical work hours in a week (including weekends)?

Generally 60-70 hour weeks

How do the responsibilities evolve as one grows in this industry into senior roles?

Lead conversations with clients, create execution plan, manage associates, plan shape and form of the deliverable

What would be your advice for people aspiring for a similar role?

Be on top of technical knowledge and know 3-statement business modelling