Cristina Crespo is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Quantitative Finance at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from ITAM, where she graduated with an academic scholarship. In addition to experience in M&A, Cristina has passed Level II of the CFA Program and is awaiting Level III results. Her motivation for joining the Portfolio Management Program comes from a desire to connect academic knowledge with practical applications in asset management with the guidance of experts and collaboration of like-minded students.

Wilhelm is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Applied Economics at WU Wien, having already earned a BSc in Economics from WU. Additionally, he is pursuing the CFA designation and passed the Level 1 exam in August 2024. He is passionate about connecting the dots between macroeconomics and markets, enjoying the process of filtering through the noise to identify the signals that truly make a difference. He has already gained practical experience as a member of the academic Trading and Investment Society (WUTIS) and through his working student positions at small funds as well as a large Austrian bank.

Jan Heissenberger is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. Prior to this, he completed a double degree in Business at WU Vienna and QUT in Brisbane, Australia, with a major in Finance and Data Science. This educational background has equipped him with a solid foundation in both financial theory and data analysis. Before starting the Master’s program, Jan worked full-time for 1.5 years as a Software Developer at Bank Gutmann, a Viennese private bank. Currently, he continues this role part-time while studying, focusing on developing various tools for portfolio reporting, such as sustainability and allocation reporting. This experience has provided valuable insights into the practical side of finance and software development within a banking environment. Motivated to apply and expand his skills, Jan joined the Portfolio Management Program as part of the Quant group, aiming to leverage a background in software development and quantitative finance. To him, the program offers the perfect opportunity to deepen understanding of financial markets, interpret financial news, and apply this knowledge to real-world portfolio management. Looking forward to collaborating with like-minded participants, he is eager to work as part of a team and benefit from the expertise of tutors and managers, enhancing both personal and professional growth in the field of asset management.

Giulio-Robert Iepure is pursuing a Master's Degree in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. He graduated with a BSc in Quantitative Finance from Maynooth University in Ireland. During his bachelor's studies, he worked as a Global Tax Intern at Indeed. He has also completed a project using machine learning to better assist first responders in predicting high overdose potential in given areas from drug samples in areas of Toronto. By joining PMP, he aims to enrich his quantitative finance skills, acquire new valuable knowledge for quantitative trading and capital markets, and collaborate with like-minded individuals.

Nedim Korcic is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. He completed his Bachelor’s studies at WU, where he focused on Finance and Economic Mathematics. Prior to his master’s, he gained nearly two years of experience at Raiffeisen Bank International in the Active Credit Management (ACM) department. There, I was involved in building credit portfolios, assessing risk, and overseeing transactions, which provided invaluable experience and allowed him to work alongside exceptional colleagues. Outside of academics and career, he has a deep love for sports, and in his free time, he enjoys playing basketball. During his undergraduate studies, he wrote a thesis on the role of strategy and analysis methods in the hedge fund industry, which closely aligns with the objectives of the Portfolio Management Program, and he hopes to further expand his knowledge in this field. His passion for financial markets has driven him to join the Portfolio Management Program, where he's eager to collaborate with like-minded individuals and deepen his understanding of real-world asset management and investing.

Caterina Piacentini is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Quantitative Finance at WU Wien, having recently graduated from the Bachelor in Economics and Finance at Bocconi University in Milan. During her studies, she completed an internship at Mediolanum Irish Operations in Dublin, where she gained valuable hands-on experience in product management and development, particularly in insurance products and ESG regulations. These experiences sparked Caterina's interest in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and its practical applications in the real world. This drive led her to join the Portfolio Management Program (PMP), where she is eager to learn from skilled tutors and collaborate with passionate teammates who share her enthusiasm for finance.

Manuel Petschinger is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. During his bachelor’s studies in Business Informatics, with a focus on Data Science and Business Mathematics, he gained valuable hands-on experience at Bank Gutmann AG in the Settlement and Derivative Products department. There, he supported domestic and international securities settlement while leveraging his IT skills to streamline processes through workflow automation. Manuel views the PMP as a unique opportunity to deepen his understanding of real-world asset management during his studies, gaining insights from industry experts while applying his academic knowledge to practical challenges.

Paula Plinke is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Finance and Accounting at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Prior to that, she completed a Bachelor’s degree in International Business at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, specializing in Accounting and Taxation. Additionally, she obtained a BBA in Management and Finance from the EDHEC Business School as part of a double degree program. Her professional experience includes various working student jobs focused on Accounting AI and Real Estate Investments. Furthermore, she expanded her skillset during her internship in Healthcare M&A for Deutsche Bank in London. Paula believes that it is crucial to combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, which is why the portfolio management program offers a great opportunity due to its mix of professional mentorship and real investments. She aims to further develop her skillset and thoroughly understand the structure of portfolio management from the inside out.

Tomáš Šamaj is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Finance from Charles University in Prague. Tomáš has gained professional experience through three internships across various investment roles, including positions at RSJ Investments, V-Sharp Venture Studio, and BHM Group. These roles have allowed him to develop a strong understanding of investment strategies across different industries, including real estate, venture capital and private equity. As a member of the ZZ team of PMP, Tomáš is keen to apply his passion for finance and investments to the world of portfolio management. His participation in the program is driven by his desire to deepen his understanding of capital markets, get hands-on experience with different asset classes, and work alongside like-minded individuals. He believes that the PMP represents a great opportunity to enhance both his practical and theoretical expertise, by learning from tutors and other participants.

Farkas Tallós is currently advancing his studies in Quantitative Finance at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), building on his academic foundation in Business and Administration from Corvinus University of Budapest, where he specialized in Finance and Financial Mathematics. His Bachelor’s thesis explored the interplay between Formula 1 racing, stock prices, and options using an event study framework. Alongside his studies, Farkas gained practical experience during an internship at Horvath & Partners, where he later worked full-time as a Business Intelligence and Advanced Analytics Consultant. His motivation for joining the PMP program stems from a desire to move beyond traditional consulting and engage in decision-making with real-world consequences. He sees asset management as the ideal field to develop these skills and looks forward to collaborating with other motivated participants to tackle the challenges of managing real portfolios.

Luuk Vos is currently enrolled in the Master’s Program in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Econometrics and Operations Research from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Previously, Luuk worked as a data analyst at NTS (Dutch Transplantation Foundation), where he developed strong data-driven analytical skills while participating in activities that align closely with his values. However, Luuk is now stepping away from this role to pursue his interest in the intersection of finance and technology. He sees the Portfolio Management Program as an ideal opportunity to deepen his expertise in portfolio management and risk analysis, while gaining hands-on experience in financial markets. Luuk is excited to leverage his skills and collaborate with like-minded peers in this innovative field.

Christian Weißmeier is currently pursuing an MSc in Quantitative Finance at WU Vienna. He holds a BSc in Business Administration from the University of Cologne, where he specialized in investment management and supply chain management. His professional journey includes an internship in Private Equity at Kapital 1852, a Hauck Aufhäuser Lampe Privatbank AG private markets platform, where he focused on investment sourcing and portfolio management. Additionally, Christian honed his corporate valuation skills during an internship at Deloitte in the Financial Advisory division. Beyond his academic and professional pursuits, he is also a competitive athlete, playing for a German golf team in the second national league. The program’s emphasis on the practical application of acquired knowledge and teamwork inspired him to join PMP, where he looks forward to appplying his financial expertise in practical settings alongside dedicated team members and mentors.

Andras is pursuing his Master's degree in Quantitative Finance at Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Concerning his undergraduate studies, he graduated with a BSc degree in Applied Economics at Corvinus University Budapest, where he specialized in econometric modeling and wrote his Bachelor thesis on the financial impact of Covid on Hungarian industries. Next to his studies, Andras competed in international business cases, worked as a consultant at EY-Parthenon, and taught econometrics to bachelor students. By joining PMP he aims to leverage his analytical skills and modeling experience while enhancing his quantitative finance skills. Furthermore, he looks forward to working with like-minded peers and solving real-life problems.