ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Rating the banks
Nick Caes (MIB Class of 2012) gives us an insight into his
role at rating agency Moody’s and how he broke into the
finance industry.
What were you up to before joining Hult and what have you been
up to since you graduated?
Prior to Hult, I completed a Master’s degree in Mechanical
Engineering in Ghent, Belgium. My goal at that time was to pursue a
career in management consulting and I felt that Hult would be a great
next step towards achieving this goal so I decided to start the Master
of International Business program in Shanghai in October 2012. I
wanted to experience the growth of what I believe will be the most
important region in the coming decades. During the MIB, I decided
to look for opportunities in Singapore and realized my true interest
was in finance rather than consulting. A month after graduation I
started my internship at Moody’s and managed to get a full-time
position three months later. Since then, I have had the unique
opportunity to not only analyze the Singapore banking system but
also those of the surrounding region.
Tell us more about your current role and responsibilities
at Moody's.
I am an Associate Analyst in the Financial Institutions Group for
Moody’s Investors Service, Singapore. My team covers about 90
banks in South and Southeast Asia. I focus on the ratings of banks
and their financial instruments in Singapore, India, and Sri Lanka.
This is a very unique mix of countries, as Singaporean banks are at
the higher end of the global rating scale, while Sri Lankan banks are
at the lower end, and Indian banks are on the cusp of investment
grade. My daily responsibilities include assigning and monitoring
ratings, interacting with issuers, and writing research for investors.
How has the Master of International Business helped you to
progress in your career?
Educationally, Hult equipped me with the basic skills needed to
pursue a job in the finance industry. Professionally, Hult gave me so
much more. A key skill I learned was how to manage people’s expectations. I also learned how to engage with people from across the
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