Student Reflection by Amy Jia (C’27 W’27, French target)
This summer, I interned on the investments team at HOPU Investments, aprivate equity firm based in Asia, in itsHong Kong office. As a summer analyst, I worked closely with associates on the team and collaborated with the other investment interns on a final project. I want to work full-time in the finance industry in the future, and this internship gave valuable hands-on exposure to the same. I had the opportunity to apply what I had been learning in the classroom in real life, from financial modelling, to creating pitch decks and investor presentations, to even evaluating targets of well-known businesses not only across the Asia-Pacific, but around the world with HOPU’s global portfolio.
The experience encouraged continuous learning, with weekly exercises that helped us stay deeply involved with financial market current events and build investing intuition. In addition, the internship program provided us with helpful and supportive mentors, and organized coffee chat opportunities with senior members of the firm who had successful and inspiring career paths, including the Managing Director and even the co-president of the firm. These chats were deeply insightful, and I received invaluable advice because their professional journeys mirrored many of my own career goals. I felt deeply valued as an intern because the firm provided such meaningful opportunities to learn and grow.
Beyond the professional experience, I had always wanted to spend time living in Asia, and Hong Kong was perfect for me. It’s such a global city, yet it has a deep, fascinating history and unique culture that I loved experiencing in my day-to-day. Hong Kong’s food scene is also incredible – I dined somewhere new every single lunch break in just the area around Central (the financial district in Hong Kong) alone, trying over 105 new spots in just one month. My weekends were packed with adventures alongside my co-intern: hiking Victoria Peak, Devil’s Peak, and even braving a 5-mile climb up the Lantau Island mountains to see the famous Tian Tan Buddha (though we had to take the cable cars down). We also took some weekend trips out of Hong Kong; I had the tastiest freshly baked Portuguese egg tart in Macau, relaxed in a beautiful tea house in the mountains of Taiwan, and had my first luxurious 24-hour spa experience in Shenzhen. Each new place had a unique blend of history, culture, and economic activity that deepened my understanding of how local identity intersects with global trends, especially within the Asia-Pacific region. These experiences didn’t just complement my academic focus; they brought my studies to life, adding lived context to the global frameworks I explore in books and papers at Penn.
There’s so much from this summer that I will bring back to my studies with Huntsman, and beyond in my academic and professional career, particularly as I continue my finance and international studies majors. The knowledge and hard skills I gained within the finance and private equity realm, from financial modelling to buyout target evaluation, will directly strengthen my professional foundation. The advice I received from mentors and through coffee chats – especially on career development in the finance world – has given me a clearer, more strategic vision for my path forward. My time in Hong Kong also expanded my international scope of knowledge, deepening my understanding of the Asia-Pacific region’s position within global financial markets.
Furthermore, working as an analyst under such a diverse team in the Hong Kong office with graduates from universities not only in Hong Kong but also the United Kingdom, mainland China, and even some Wharton alumni, and collaborating with driven, intelligent interns from other top schools, gave me my first glimpse into the professional office setting of a top finance firm. This experience affirmed my interest in the industry and prepared me for future internships and professional opportunities.
