Fatima Daif Q&A on her internship at Oakley Capital

We caught up with last year's interns on what to expect from an Oakley internship. Watch our Q&A with Fatima to learn more. 

Watch out for the launch of our 2025 internship programme. 

Why did you consider an internship in Private Equity?

For me, it was that mix between the finance side and the operations side. I also think that I've always enjoyed the learning curve that comes with working on different industries and getting deep into niche business models. So, for me private equity was a way to seek that challenge.

Why did you choose Oakley?

I was looking at private equity funds focused on Europe and I was attracted to Oakley for two reasons, the industry focus and the culture. In terms of Industry Focus, I was keen to work with a PE fund that had a strong track record in the tech and business services space - Oakley was a natural fit in that sense. And on the culture side, I think Oakley has a uniquely entrepreneurial approach in its sourcing and execution. It also has a reputation for being very founder friendly in the market. So, it's a philosophy that I resonate with and that that's the reasons I considered Oakley.

What was the first thing you worked on in your internship?

I spent the first couple of days getting to know the team and the deal they were working on. My first assignment was working with the Tech team who were doing an outside analysis of the IT service management space. And so, the deal was about to kick-off, and I was able to join from the get-go, doing expert calls, mapping the market, identifying potential add-on investments, and so on. It was a very good first project because I was able to be involved from the early stages.

What was the best thing about the internship?

Two things. Firstly, the variety, I was able to work with three different industry teams, the tech team, the business services, and the consumer teams all in different capacities and on different projects. It was good exposure to the breadth of deals that Oakley looks at. The second, is the culture - Oakley has a very flat and very friendly structure. So, I think it was it was easy to get exposure to senior management and work directly with Managers and Directors and really get a sense of the culture, which is something that I really enjoyed.

What would be your one piece of advice for someone considering a career in Private Equity?

I think for anyone considering a career in private equity, my advice would be to really do your research. I think even funds operating in the same segment of the market can have very different approaches to sourcing, to staffing and different cultures. I think it's important to find one that aligns with your specific goals, not just with the stage and industry that the company looks at.