Simon Kumpfmüller

Why did you choose AGRANA for your internship?

AGRANA was virtually unknown to me until a seminar at Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien and Raiffeisen Holding as part of my studies at the University of Economics. At this seminar, Raiffeisen’s most important shareholdings were presented, i.e. AGRANA as well. This was followed up by some internet research about AGRANA in general and a visit to the website where on the careers page it is mentioned explicitly that internships are also available in the finance department. Above all, the international focus of AGRANA, the exciting business field and the excellent market position persuaded me to apply for an internship. Furthermore, after three years of employment in a small, family-run company alongside my studies, the idea of gaining an insight in the organisation of a large industrial company was appealing.

How did you apply for the internship? How was the application process set up?

A speculative application via the website and a mail to the Finance/Controlling/Audit department in January, followed by a short interview in April about AGRANA in general, studies and education, previous practical experience and career plans. Acceptance to the Mergers & Acquisitions department came finally in May.

Shortly describe a typical working day within your internship at AGRANA. What were your main tasks?

Coordination with supervisor about the tasks to be done, Research about potential acquisition targets (financial analysis, share price analysis, ownership and group structure, production capacities, products...), Competitive intelligence - research about competitors (financial analysis, ownership and group structure), Research about target countries (macroeconomics, raw materials and growing regions, industries and markets, legal system, politics, competitors, Preparing and editing presentations, inputting data into Excel, Preparing a peer group analysis for due diligence (analysis of annual financial statements, calculation of key figures, data from Bloomberg).

What did you like most about your internship?

The excellent support from colleagues who endeavoured to give me challenging tasks and provide help at any time in case of questions.

What kind of experiences can you take with you from the internship at AGRANA?

Practical application of material learned during my studies such as analysis of annual financial statements and due diligence. Knowledge about how M&A transactions work and tools to acquire and analyse the necessary data such as special databases, Bloomberg, etc..

Would you recommend an internship at AGRANA? Why?

Yes, definitively. An internship at AGRANA brings with it excellent support from colleagues, exciting and varied tasks, an excellent working environment and the opportunity during your studies to apply the acquired skills and knowledge in a practical setting. Moreover, you get a good insight into the day-to-day business of an M&A department.

What advice would you give future interns?

If you enjoy researching companies and economies, analyzing annual financial statements of companies from around the world and working with Excel and Power Point, then the M&A department of AGRANA is just the right place for you.