From Austria to China: My Internship Journey in Cross-Border M&A
2026-05-18 16:04
Could you briefly introduce yourself and your background?
My name is Hong Chen, I am 24 years old, and I was born and raised in Austria. I am currently an Analyst Intern at Nordic Match.
I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics and Social Sciences at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. During my Bachelor’s, I also spent an exchange semester in Hong Kong, which really strengthened my interest in Asia and confirmed my wish to gain a longer international experience in the region.
I am now in my final year of a MSc Double Degree in International Management, jointly offered by Bocconi University in Milan and Fudan University in Shanghai. Before joining Nordic Match, I gained internship experience in finance, strategy, and consulting in Vienna and Munich, which helped me build a strong interest in corporate finance, international business, and cross-border transactions.
What motivated you to apply for an internship at Nordic Match?
I was very interested in gaining hands-on experience in M&A, especially in a cross-border context. Because of my personal background and studies, I have always been interested in business relationships between Europe and China, so Nordic Match’s focus on transactions between these regions immediately stood out to me.
Another important motivation was the opportunity to gain working experience in Shanghai and better understand how business is done in China from a practical perspective. Before applying, I also read some previous internship experience reports on Nordic Match’s website, and they gave me the impression that the team environment, level of responsibility, and learning opportunities would be a very good fit for what I was looking for.
What surprised you the most during your internship?
What surprised me the most was how much responsibility I was given from the beginning. I expected to learn a lot, but I did not expect to be involved so directly in real projects.
I also really appreciated the variety of tasks. The work was never repetitive, and I had the chance to contribute to different aspects of the deal process, from research and analysis to presentation materials and project-related work. Another thing that stood out to me was the opportunity to work closely with very experienced and senior colleagues, which made the learning curve even steeper.
Can you share a memorable moment or experience from your time here?
One very memorable experience was our team-building activity where we made dumplings together. Working with the Nordic Match team was already a lot of fun in the office, but doing something completely different together outside of the usual work setting made it even more special.
It was a great opportunity to get to know everyone better on a more personal level, and it also reflected the friendly and open team culture that I experienced throughout my internship.
What advice would you give to future interns to help them make the most of their time at Nordic Match?
My advice would be to work with as many team members as possible, because everyone has different experiences, working styles, and perspectives to learn from. I personally learned a lot from each person I worked with.
I would also recommend being open to tasks that may be new at first. At Nordic Match, people are very supportive and willing to explain things, so it is a great environment to step out of your comfort zone. The more curious and proactive you are, the more you will get out of the internship.
How do you think this experience will impact your future career?
This experience will definitely have a positive impact on my future career. I learned a lot about cross-border M&A, especially transactions between Europe and China. This included not only technical aspects of project work, but also a better understanding of cultural differences, business practices, and macroeconomic factors that influence transactions.
I also had the opportunity to take on a wide range of tasks and responsibilities, which helped me improve my analytical thinking, communication, and prioritization skills. These are skills that I believe will be very valuable no matter which direction I take in my future career.
Overall, my internship at Nordic Match gave me a much clearer understanding of M&A and international business, and it confirmed my interest in working in a cross-border environment.
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