Damien's story

Taking internal mobility opportunities to build your career

Damien is a Credit Analyst in the Five Arrows Credit Management team in London, following two years working within Asset Management’s Fixed Income Management team in Paris.

“I became interested in the credit sector after a lecture at my business school, where it was presented as a niche area.

Following my studies, I worked for a small credit research firm for five years in Lyon, after which I worked as a Portfolio Manager for a Wealth Management Consulting and Financial Advisory Services firm for two years in Paris.

However, the main aspect of those roles was commercial, which means you have less time to explore subjects in depth and have less control over your cases, which is what I was missing. Shortly thereafter, I wanted to go back to being a credit analyst because it involved conducting research and setting up strategies. And that’s when I came across an opportunity with Rothschild & Co.

In 2021, I joined the Fixed Income Management team in our Asset Management business. My role was to monitor the performance of our investments on a day-to-day basis, and support the managers by providing them with ideas for new investments.

Even though everything was going well for me in Paris, the opportunity to move internally to the Five Arrows Credit Management team came by through a chance encounter. At an external conference, I met a Rothschild & Co colleague and we quickly realised how similar our jobs were. A month after this interaction, a position became available in their team and, following a few discussions, I decided I was motivated by the possibility of an international experience.

My onboarding to this new role went very well, and I had valuable support in terms of the administration required to work in a new country. At this time, I needed to not only adapt to my new role, but also to a new culture. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s also very stimulating.

Internal mobility allows you to challenge yourself, because you are taking a risk. In a way, you’re starting from scratch, and you need to work differently. However, once you’ve got your bearings, it’s very enriching, both personally and professionally. Also, you mustn’t forget that the more you put in, the more you get out. You arrive with your own experience, and the important thing is to share it.

My advice to those who have just joined Rothschild & Co, is to look at the Group as a whole and don’t limit yourself to one area. You need to be open-minded, accepting that you’ll need to re-learn some things and challenge yourself. We’re lucky enough to be part of an international group with extremely talented people, so take advantage of that.”

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