Does anyone know anything about CognoLink
I am trying to get a grasp on what this company actually does. The company description reads:
CognoLink is an independent research firm that manages an expansive and rapidly growing global network of industry specialists.
Founded in 2007 by two former Bain & Company consultants, we facilitate consultations between our clients – private equity firms, hedge funds and strategy consultancies – and industry specialists who can deliver vital insight ahead of key investment decisions.
Our industry specialists
Our network of specialists includes business executives, politicians, industry consultants, lawyers, accountants, doctors and academics who have been selected for their experience, insight and analysis across a broad range of industries and geographical areas.
Our clients
Our clients include some of the world's leading hedge funds, mutual funds, private equity firms and strategy consultancies. They trust us to connect them with specialists who can provide them with the critical information they need to make informed business and investment decisions.
Our team
Our global team comprises dedicated professionals fluent in more than 30 languages and with local expertise across every continent. Our headquarters are based in London, and in 2010 our operations expanded to include an Asia-Pacific hub in Shanghai and a US office in New York. In 2012 we increased our presence in Asia with two new offices, in Hong Kong and New Delhi.
But after reading this I am still having a little trouble what there role is in the I guess consulting process. If anyone works at the firm or knows anything about there operations it would be very helpful.
Sounds like guns for hire in very specialized corporate situations - basically consultants or temp exec-level hires.
Say your company is thinking about launching an XYZ product, but no one really knows at your company how to initiate the process/map the process. You most likely call these guys up and say, do you have a specialist/consultant in XYZ who can help us get this thing moving along?
Another example: if you're a PE firm and need to temporarily replace a key executive/employee with a very specialized skill set in one of your portfolio companies, you may also call on these guys to find someone for you.
They're an expert network-type company. Similar to GLG.
What are the future prospects if one joins an expert network?
What do people typically do after 2 years or so? Also, the description sounds a little like a fancier call center ... I might be missing something?
CognoLink (Originally Posted: 01/03/2014)
I'm looking at doing ER and I came across a company called Cognolink. Unfortunately, I'm not trusted enough yet to post a link. Can anyone explain what type of business this is?
My guess from glancing at the website is that it is a broker between hedge funds, institutional investors and research firms or industry specialists. I can't be sure though because the positions open for graduates are called "research analysts." It seems all they do would be matching up investors with specialists in the industry they're looking to invest in.
You have the right idea. From what I remember Cognolink is simply a middleman who connects their clients to industry experts, though I can't remember if their clients are actual hedge funds and institutional investors or some other group. I interviewed there two years ago for a research analyst position and was given an offer but turned it down as something better came up.
I can tell you that financially it was a pretty low offer and that I don't think the job is really tough or fulfilling nor does it build up any hard skills that you could leverage in the future. I have no idea what type of exit opportunities it offers and I'm not sure how you could spin the work you did on your resume into a better position somewhere else. Happy to discuss further.
Yeah avoid these type of expert networking firms in general if you have any finance aspirations
To me, their model appears to be a fancy call center.. am I missing something? What skills is one learning/ how is one adding value other than connecting 2 parties?
You've got it right. I recommend you avoid Cognolink. If you're looking at that industry, go to Alpha Sights or GLG. Everywhere else is terrible (Guidepoint, Coleman, Ridgetop, etc).
Thanks. What do you think are the future prospects in such a job?
How do you mean? Are you asking about exit opps or career paths within these companies or what?
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