Vikesh Karia

University:
LSE

Degree Subject:
Management Sciences

Desk:
Structured Credit

Structured Credit deals with complex products and so execution of trades occur less frequently. As an intern I was overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the trading floor; with prices being shouted across the room I knew I was in the heart of voice broking. I began my first few weeks reading about the daily events ensuring I was up to date with all the financial news. My main aim was to understand the products and how they worked so that when put into practical use I would know what was going on around me. Eventually with the help of the desk I was able to begin to put together portfolios for clients, complete confirmations and started to understand what it meant to 'broke'!

The ICAP internship is demanding and exciting - the change of pace on the trading floor can happen within seconds and as an intern it is an amazing opportunity to understand the fast paced and ever-changing environment of the financial world.

Interdealer broking allows you to work in a front office role without having to take home any risk, for me personally I have always had a feel for a sales type role and broking fits that perfectly. You meet a variety of really interesting people and the social events are brilliant.

One of the hardest things to master has been developing a 'brokers ear'. No matter what the level of noise was on the trading floor you always be able to react and listen out for any vital information being said to you or around you whilst completing an entirely different task. It took a while for me to adjust, especially with the early mornings, but the internship programme really fostered my abilities to digest information on the floor.

The best way to get the most out of your experience is to listen, take things on board and always improve. Be prepared to take things on the chin, people will help to develop your skills during your progression during your time at ICAP and as an interdealer broker.

Being on the trading floor was amazing something which you can only realise when you experience it for yourself. One thing that amazed me about ICAP is the fact that you are able to talk to all levels of management during socialising or during their free time in the day; this is due to a flat structure that cultivates an amazing culture that I believe is an asset to ICAP.