Case Study: Warwick → UBS IB → £80k PE Secondaries

hassan2990
Dec 8
2 min read

At a Glance

Sectors: Investment Banking (Global Banking) → Private Equity Secondaries
Timeline: ≈2.5 years (diagnostic → UBS offer → PE secondaries graduate role)
Starting salary: £80,000 at age 21 (client‑confirmed)
Frameworks: VTMR™, PEAL‑3™, PEAL‑X™, STAR‑3™, BDC™

Before

Warwick undergraduate with strong academics but generic motivation, diluted evidence and misaligned pathing between markets/IB with no clear long‑term narrative.

After

Written UBS Global Banking Summer Internship (London) offer secured and declined; full‑time graduate role at a top PE secondaries house accepted on £80,000 at age 21.

Problem

The candidate had the raw ability for top‑tier finance but sat in an underpowered system: generic “Why IB/Why firm” answers, strong experiences converted into low‑density stories and a blurred path between markets and banking. Early outcomes didn’t reflect potential; each application recycled soft claims rather than decision‑grade evidence. Without clear motivation architecture or firm‑specific logic, the profile blended into bulge‑bracket noise. The challenge was to rebuild from first principles using VTMR™ for assets, PEAL‑3™ + BDC™ for career logic, PEAL‑X™ for firm specificity and STAR‑3™ for high‑finance competencies—then run focused conversion sprints to move from “strong candidate” to written offer and, ultimately, a superior direct‑to‑PE outcome.

Solution

VTMR™ CV rebuild → 100% bullets Verb–Task–Metric–Result → evidence‑dense operator profile for IB/PE.
PEAL‑3™ + BDC™ career arc → 3‑phase (Began–Developed–Confirmed) → credible long‑term IB→PE narrative.
PEAL‑X™ “Why UBS/Why role” → fact‑per‑sentence (public, verifiable) → firm‑fit that survived scrutiny.
STAR‑3™ competency portfolio → 3 core stories (leadership, judgement, client impact) with hard metrics → offer‑stage‑ready answers.
Conversion sprints → high‑pressure AC practice and concise case communication → UBS Summer offer + PE secondaries graduate role secured.

Result

Over 2.5 years, the candidate progressed from early rejections to a written UBS Global Banking Summer Internship offer (London), evidenced by contract and HR onboarding (redacted). As their profile strengthened, a direct‑to‑PE secondaries route opened. After securing a full‑time graduate role at a top private‑equity secondaries house on £80,000 starting salary at 21, they chose to decline UBS—the IB offer became optional, not the end goal.

ROI

Metric	Result
Investment	Private 1‑to‑1 Advisory (fee POA; multi‑year engagement)
Starting salary (PE secondaries)	£80,000 at age 21
Pay‑back period	Months, assuming typical saving rates & progression (illustrative)
Lifetime uplift	Early entry to PE secondaries; long‑run six‑ to seven‑figure potential (contingent)

Testimonial: “The best investment we ever made. Now never need to worry about money for the rest of my life.” — Private Advisory client (anonymised; consent on file)

Privacy notice: All case studies use fictional names and anonymised details to protect client confidentiality. Where appropriate, and with the client’s consent, we may arrange an introduction for you and your parents after their offer has been secured.