Darius de Wet is from South Africa and is currently living in London. He graduated in November 2020 with an MSc in Finance.
Pursuing a career in finance
With a background in consultancy, I have always been interested in financial solutions, particularly creating and executing deals for clients in the healthcare industry, to create long term synergies, reduce costs and increase profit margins.
My interest in this was solidified while I was interning in the investment banking division at Rand Merchant Bank. I worked closely with ultra-high net worth individuals and family offices on deals, due diligence and capital raising (investment teasers).
During this time I realised that transaction advisory provided the ideal opportunity for me, to combine my keen interest for finance and problem solving skills to deliver unique solutions for clients.
Receiving careers support
While studying at the University of Bath, I was thrilled to receive a job offer from RSM UK as a Corporate Finance Executive. I was thankful to the School of Management MSc careers team, who helped me through the recruitment process. They looked at my cover letter and CV, to provide advice and guidance on how to make it suitable for finance roles in the UK.
Working in the UK
There is no place like the UK, and especially London, for finance. The city is full of high-quality firms, banks and private equity houses who are always looking for mergers, acquisitions, or investments.
RSM UK serves the middle market and provides the opportunity to work with some high growth companies with lots of potential. This was something that really interested me. And thanks to RSM UK, who is currently sponsoring my Tier 2 General Visa, I was able to accept the position and stay working in the UK.
I have spent some time in the audit team for training purposes, and recently transitioned to the Corporate Finance team. In a matter of weeks, it has lived up to what I have hoped for. I have already assisted on multiple financial and vendor due diligence projects for acquirers over Europe, Scandinavia, and the US. The fast-paced environment suits me best and I am really enjoying the new job.
Working and living in the UK is something very special and I am enjoying every moment of it. The UK is full of industry veterans willing to help and teach, and the country is full of history and beautiful locations to visit. I am finding settling in a great experience so far.