Written by Bana Sulieman, a rising senior majoring in Finance: Investments with a minor in Innovations in Honors at the Gary W. Rollins College of Business at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
My name is Bana Sulieman, I am from Jordan and spent the summer as a Deals Intern with PwC Middle East within the Corporate Finance team. I was based in the Amman office but worked with the Riyadh and Dubai offices.
In simple terms, corporate finance teams help companies make important financial decisions, particularly around mergers and acquisitions. The work involves understanding a company and its market, valuing businesses, building financial projections and advising clients throughout a transaction.
Why I wanted this experience
Going into the internship, I wanted to explore which area of finance I ultimately wanted to pursue. I knew I was interested in international business, financial analysis and working with people, so I wanted an experience that brought those interests together. I was particularly drawn to PwC because of the breadth of exposure that comes with working at a Big Four firm.
I had also been exposed to finance in the U.S. through conferences and site visits in New York City, Chicago and Nashville with the UTC Student Managed Investment Learning Experience (SMILE) Fund. I also wanted to experience that perspective within the region I am from.
What my days actually looked like
My day-to-day work involved researching companies and industries, analyzing financial statements and annual reports, researching markets across the Middle East and examining companies’ financial performance. I also used Excel extensively for analysis, including trading comps.
A major part of the experience was taking that analysis and translating it into slide decks and materials that could be communicated clearly to clients. You can do all the research and have all the numbers, but you also need to know how to present that information and explain what it means to a client.
I was proud to contribute to live advisory work and see how our analysis could influence real companies.
What surprised me most
Before this internship, when I heard “corporate finance,” I primarily associated it with Financial Planning and Analysis, budgeting and internal financial planning. I did not initially realize how closely certain areas of corporate finance within an advisory practice resemble investment banking. Working with the Corporate Finance team at PwC showed me firsthand how mergers and acquisitions advisory involves valuation, financial analysis, projections and transactions.
The environment was fast-paced, and deadlines were non-negotiable. Taking summer classes at the same time also made me more intentional about managing my time and priorities.
How the Gary W. Rollins College of Business prepared me
RCOB prepared me for the internship in several ways. The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge taught me how to do deep equity research from macro, industry and company perspectives. Serving as Vice President of Risk Management for the SMILE Fund also helped me become more comfortable presenting and expressing my perspective.
I have been fortunate to have professors who genuinely invest in their students. Dr. Hunter Holzhauer consistently encourages me to pursue new opportunities. Dr. Bento Lobo and Dr. Nilesh Sah encourage me to put myself out there and pursue opportunities that challenge me. Ray Ryan has also been someone I have been able to turn to for advice and feedback throughout my development. I’m also incredibly grateful to have supportive parents who have always encouraged me to push myself and keep growing.
Discovering my passion for mergers and acquisitions
I learned that I really enjoy mergers and acquisitions.
Before this internship, I knew I liked analyzing companies, but I did not realize how much I would enjoy looking at a company through the lens of a transaction.
In M&A, you are not just asking, “Is this a good company?” You are asking, “Does this acquisition make sense? Why does it make sense? What would make it worth doing?” I enjoy that process. You must understand the company, industry, market, financials, valuation and what the buyer is ultimately trying to accomplish and then bring all of that together. Every transaction has a different story behind it, which makes the work so interesting to me.
I also like that M&A is not purely analytical. You can have all the right numbers, but you still need to understand the people involved, communicate your findings clearly and understand what the client is trying to achieve. You also have to communicate with people with different personalities, backgrounds and perspectives. That combination made me realize that M&A is an area of finance I genuinely want to pursue.
Being Jordanian and fluent in Arabic, I was already familiar with the region but experiencing it from a business perspective gave me a different understanding of how the markets operate across the Middle East.
My advice to future interns
My biggest advice is to put yourself out there. Reach out to people, use LinkedIn, send cold emails, ask questions and make yourself known.
I also think finance becomes much more interesting when you take the time to understand what is happening behind the numbers. Be curious.
Let’s see where business will take you.
Finance is more than numbers — it’s strategy, analysis and understanding what makes a deal make sense. At the Gary W. Rollins College of Business, you’ll build those skills through real-world experience and relevant curriculum that prepares you to lead with both precision and purpose. Apply today to begin your finance journey.
Leave a Reply