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Alumni Share Best Practices, Insights at CFE Events
April 20, 2011
In March, several high profile alumni returned to Fuqua to participate in events sponsored by the Center for Financial Excellence (CFE), sharing their insights and experiences with students seeking careers in corporate finance.
On March 30, senior corporate finance executives participated in an event entitled "Corporate Finance: Careers, Roles, and Responsibilities," which featured John Kogan '95 (Proformative, Inc.), Mike Lenz '94 (FedEx Corp.), Brian Stevens '96 (Mercedes-Benz Financial Services), and Steve Mannell '08 (Strategic Solutions Unlimited, Inc.). Seth Gardner, the Center's Executive Director, moderated the discussion. Proformative, Inc. and the Fuqua M.B.A. Finance Club jointly sponsored the event with the Center.
From left: Steve Mannell, Mike Lenz, Brian Stevens, John Kogan
Panelists described their activities and best practices in managing their businesses, explained corporate finance functions at their respective companies, and shared anecdotes and lessons learned during their careers. The panelists also offered advice and suggestions for students considering careers in corporate finance.
In a separate event held the next day, Ken Pott (Trinity '80), a Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance Execution at Morgan Stanley, and two other Morgan Stanley investment banking professionals led a detailed lecture and discussion about General Motors' recent Initial Public Offering (IPO). Morgan Stanley served as the "lead left" underwriter of GM's landmark IPO. Mr. Pott's appearance was coordinated with Professor Vish Viswanathan for his Advanced Corporate Finance course.
From left: Andrew Sims (Morgan Stanley), Jean Seo (Morgan Stanley), Professor Vish Viswanathan (The Fuqua School of Business), Ken Pott (Morgan Stanley)
Mr. Pott and his team provided an in-depth analysis of their work in connection with the IPO, including due diligence, valuation and share pricing analyses and methodologies, book-running and syndication strategies and road show preparation. They also described the science and the art of a successful securities underwriting, highlighted the skill sets, various job functions and related roles and responsibilities of investment banking professionals, and delineated underwriting best practices.
CFE holds events such as these to enhance students' comprehension of core financial concepts, bridge classroom theories with industry practices, and advance students' appreciation of finance profession roles and responsibilities.
To learn more about the Center for Financial Excellence, including recent events, visit http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/cfe/
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