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The finance sector attracts many young people, but its various professions often remain unknown. Théo COLOMBANI, a IÉSEG graduate and currently a Portfolio Manager at Mandarine Gestion, a French firm specializing in equity investment, shares his experience and daily life. Between financial analysis, meetings with executives, and travels around the world, he offers a glimpse into his dynamic and stimulating professional life. 

How did you become a Portfolio Manager?

After completing the Grande École Program with a major in market finance, I did an internship as a financial analyst where I worked on a thematic fund related to sports. I had to analyze the market to understand the entire sports universe and what place it took in the stock market. Then, I secured a full-time position, and within just a few years, I was promoted to portfolio manager for this fund and two other mutual funds, which invest in the microcaps.

What does your job actually involve?

My primary role is to identify the best equity investment opportunities for my clients. I specialize in microcaps, which are publicly traded companies with a market capitalization of less than $1 billion. I have to analyze these companies, understand their growth, their ability to gain market share, and assess their potential stock market performance. I also need to understand the outlook for each industry to try to identify tomorrow’s leaders. My goal is to outperform my benchmark index by selecting the most promising companies, a practice commonly known as “stock picking.”*

In addition, there is also a significant commercial aspect. Contrary to popular belief, this job is not just about sitting behind a screen analyzing numbers. About 50% of my time is spent traveling to meet with companies and our clients. My job takes me on regular trips around the world to meet with company executives in which to invest. For example, every year, I travel to Japan because there’s a wealth of ultra-innovative companies! I’ve also done tours in Sweden, Italy, and other European countries.

I visit factories and production sites to better understand the companies: from Lamborghini production lines to the shipyards of the world’s most beautiful yachts, to marble quarries and automated wine bottle manufacturing plants. This makes the job lively and exciting!

What are the main challenges of your job?

It’s a demanding job that requires constant monitoring. Every morning, I need to analyze economic and geopolitical news to anticipate their impact on our investments. Even when I’m on vacation, I constantly look at what’s happening. An event like the war in Ukraine or an economic crisis can have direct consequences on our portfolios. I use tools like Bloomberg (which I learned to master at IÉSEG) to synthesize this information.

Moreover, our performance is constantly being measured. If I make a mistake in investing, it shows up immediately, which can be stressful. But this also makes the job very stimulating and dynamic. It’s never boring!

What advice would you give to students interested in this career?

You need to be passionate, curious, and hardworking. This job requires constant evolution and continuous learning. Additionally, IÉSEG provided me with a technical foundation, particularly in financial analysis and the use of tools like Bloomberg, as well as the CFA certification, which is clearly an asset for this type of career. Finding internships can be challenging, but with perseverance, it’s possible to access great opportunities. Career advancement can be rapid for those who fully invest themselves in this field!