Florian Stueger Q&A on his 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 Florian to learn more. 

Watch out for the launch of our 2025 internship programme. 

Why did you consider an internship in Private Equity?

I find it very interesting to look at a lot of different businesses on a daily basis, speak to management teams, meet founders and get exposure to people who have built businesses themselves - personally, I find that very impressive. Fundamentally, it's a very demanding and exciting industry to be involved in, you learn a lot, you grow a lot, and you get a lot of exposure.

Why did you choose Oakley?

I was interested in Oakley because of their great track record, especially in the tech and the consumer space - two sectors that I find very interesting. And also because of Oakley’s core being present in three main European cities. Additionally, their entrepreneurial culture, I was able to speak to people who worked at Oakley and I had the feeling that it is a place where you can really make an impact and that was confirmed by my internship experience.

What was the first thing you worked on?

That was one of the things that I really liked, because I was started on a live deal which I was quite surprised about. I was contacted by an Investment Manager from the Munich office, who put me on a deal team in the consumer space, I had the chance to work with the team in Milan as well as an Associate in London. So, it really showed how you get the exposure across the offices and across a lot of people which was fantastic.

What was the best thing about the internship?

The best thing about the internship was the people that you get to work with, there was a real feeling of being part of the team and it was all very genuine interactions. So, for me culturally it was outstanding. Compared to my previous work experiences, I think it was definitely the best. Also, the level of exposure and trust that you get from the team was great and that was mirrored by the fact that I was started on a live deal. For example, I was able to help with the term sheet negotiation - it  was fantastic that I was given that level of trust and exposure, which is how you learn.

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

My one piece of advice for someone who wants to get into private equity, is to be curious about everything that's related to private equity. I think you need to bring across that you are genuinely interested and passionate about the industry. I would start early in getting an understanding of what private equity is about and be passionate in your interactions with people who work in the field.