We sat down with Akshay to discuss his career at Odin Partners so far. Stay tuned for more interviews with members of the team across the Odin Partners offices!

What is your background and what brought you to your current role at Odin Partners?

I studied mandarin and Korean at university. I have always been creative and initially planned for a career in the theatre before being enticed by the finance industry. Working in Asia has always been a priority for me and I wanted to use my language skills for business. Whilst I didn’t have prior experience in finance, sales and financial markets have always interested me.

What did your early years as a Junior Consultant look like?

There was a steep learning curve. Odin Partners operates on different terms to other head-hunters – there’s an enormous amount of market intelligence, data, and detail to navigate. The business centres on partnership with clients and candidates and at the core of that is our value-add. This means delving deep into the data and trends to develop and deliver an understanding of the market that other consultancies can’t offer.

How did you train for your role?

I shadowed my seniors, watched, listened, learned, and applied. It’s a dynamic market and so this process is continuous. I followed my seniors on meetings and calls and would then digest and understand themes and trends to form a view. I read Bloomberg and Economist Bites for additional insight.

Why did you choose to work at Odin Partners?

The role is a good fit for me – I enjoy relationship management – managing clients and candidates with certain requirements, empathising and understanding their needs. Over the three years I have worked at Odin Partners, I’ve observed that they’ve taken the recruitment model and improved it. The founders care about the business, its impact and their employees. There is a distinct lack of hierarchy and in parallel, full accountability, autonomy and support. What impressed me about the business is its ability to add value and deliver 365 market access. Recruitment can be a bit of a “cowboy” space, but Odin Partners doesn’t operate on those terms – the corporate culture is more elegant and more values driven. Odin Partners understands the problems in market and how to present solutions without resorting to aggressive sales.

What advice would you give to those considering a role as a junior consultant in finance talent acquisition?

Consider the sort of organisation you want to be part of and the soft skills you can bring to the role. The industry has some incredible institutions with outstanding opportunities. Personally, I wanted to work in a smaller company that provides a clear, swift progression path. I want to be part of delivering tangible results and I get that at Odin Partners. There’s never a dull day.