Campus life: bond to create value in corporate finance

Carlos Castro Martinez joined EDHEC’s Master’s in Corporate Finance & Banking to fulfill his career aspirations. He was awarded a Bourse Avenir to finance his degree. 

What is your background prior to EDHEC?

Before joining EDHEC, I studied a Double Degree in Business Management and Law. It is a common option in Spain, where I did my bachelor's. I studied at the Universidad de Oviedo, in Asturias, my home region. I also spent an exchange year in Maastricht (The Netherlands) at the SBE. It was a remarkable experience that for sure influenced my decision of joining a business school out of Spain for my master's.

Why did you choose to join the MSc in Corporate Finance & Banking? What are your career goals?

After my bachelor’s education, I felt that I wanted to define my career path in Finance. My interest revolves around companies and firms. During my internship, I learned how an M&A process or a restructuring of a firm works. So my interest in corporate grew. Among the different Masters, the MSc in Corporate Finance & Banking best suited my career goals. After some research on the curriculum and the career outlook, I finally decided to join the Corporate Finance & Banking program at EDHEC Business School.

What are the main highlights of your MSc year at EDHEC Business School?

I really appreciate the international environment and the time and experience that I spent with my classmates. It changed my perspective. It opened my mind and made me see life in different ways.  I really enjoyed the lectures given by EDHEC Alumni who work in the finance field. They shared professional insights about the different trends in finance or explained how theory applies in their daily tasks.

What was your favorite class? And why?

My favorite class was M&A. As I said, during my internship, I was highly interested in this type of process, and having a course with a professional who has been involved in several different processes and can tell us about his experiences was for me one of the best academical experiences that I could ever have. Furthermore, we developed case studies in class. Case studies based on real examples allow us to compare our conclusions fit with what actually happened.

You benefited from Bourse Avenir. How was the process of applying for the scholarship? How does it feel to be chosen among numerous candidates?

Once I received the offer from the school, I started doing my research and checking among the different options I had to finance my tuition fees. Bourse Avenir was one of the most feasible ones, given my situation. So I decided to apply. I knew there would be many candidates, and that the competition would be high, but I believed that I could get it. I am proud to have been selected among the different candidates. It makes me also realise that I have to take the most out of this unique experience.

Do you have some tips to share with students willing to try, and get this scholarship?

I think it is essential to show clearly your motivations: why do you want to study in France at that particular university and what do you plan to get from this particular experience. Apart from your grades, the motivational questions are key to convincing judges that you are really going to take advantage of this experience and that it will be a good decision to award you the Bourse Avenir to you.

Any advice for international students willing to attend EDHEC?

Try to meet as many international students as you can, exchange experiences, and enjoy the time in Nice and EDHEC. The MSc is just a year long and it passes really fast. Enjoy the moment, study when you have to and enjoy the Riveria lifestyle when you can. I also wanted to be in France to study French, it is a great opportunity since you are in the country and you live surrounded by the language, I am sure that it will be easier.

Three words to sum up your EDHEC experience.

Insightful, engaging, and motivating.

What’s next? 

Next year, I will most likely start working in Madrid, Spain. I think it will be a good step in my career to have real-life exposure in Madrid, preferably in the corporate finance area. After that, who knows? I will always have a great recollection of EDHEC, and I will maintain the connections of my time there!