Lupita Humbert Q&A on her internship at Oakley Capital

What should Oakley interns expect? We chat to Lupita Humbert about her experience on last year’s programme. 

Why did you consider an internship in private equity?

I want to become a business owner one day. So when I began looking at different opportunities for my first post-MBA job, I thought private equity was the was the right place to build the skill set that would allow me to do this successfully in the future. In private equity, I would be able to develop my hard skills for example building on my financial modelling skills, but also learning how to manage companies and drive them to success, and how to think as an investor.

What attracted you to Oakley?

I'm passionate about the education sector. And so I was keen to work for a private equity firm that invested in education. So I did some research and talked to a few people and identified Oakley as one of the top firms that invest in education.

What was the application process like?

I filled out a form that included submitting my CV and a cover letter, and a week later, I got an email inviting me for a first-round interview. This interview was with two Associates. It mostly involved behavioural topics but also a few technical questions. Then after that interview, around a week later I was called for the second interview. I was given 24 hours to prepare a case study and a model, and presented that to an Investment Director and an Associate.

What was your first assignment?

I was introduced to an Investment Director and we got talking for a few minutes. I said I'm looking for something to work on do you have anything? And he said, actually I do, I need some help on a project for a portfolio company, which was actually an education conglomerate, a university. I need your help on this adjacent investment opportunity that we're analysing. We actually have a call in five minutes with a partner, why don't you hop on the call and help us on this project? And basically, I was part of the call, I was asked questions, I participated. And then I worked on the project for a few months which was exciting. 

What did you like most about the internship?

I got to work with 20 to 35 people from the investment team, which is around 60% of them. And this was amazing for me because I got to properly meet all kinds of people from different roles, really get a sense of how people work, what the culture is like at Oakley and also get exposure to senior management.

What is your advice for anyone considering a career in private equity?

I would say three things. I would say, be specific. Get the word out that you're interested in private equity. And be authentic.