Working in infra PE, diagnosed with ADHD and bored out of my mind
The title says it all.
I work in an infra fund and am bored out of my mind. The projects are long and exceptionnaly repetitive (we specialise in a unique and specific type of asset), and the long hours make it absolutely unbearable.
I have also been diagnosed with ADHD and I realise that a lot of my issues with this job match almost all the issues that ADHD people meet in finance.
I would like to move towards a more interesting (for me) side of finance, or even a totally different career. What do you think is doable with a PE infra background? And for those of you who have ADHD, what did you end up doing?
Thanks !
Ah, the thrill of infra PE can sometimes wane, especially when the assets and projects become monotonous. But fear not, your background in infra PE is actually quite versatile! Here are some options you might consider:
Move to a Different Type of PE: If you're looking for variety, consider moving to a more generalist PE fund or a fund that focuses on different sectors. This could provide the diversity in projects that might keep your ADHD brain engaged.
Transition to Corporate Development: Your skills in PE are transferable to corporate development roles within companies, where you could work on a variety of projects including mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships.
Consider Investment Banking: While the hours might still be long, investment banking could offer a faster pace and a wider variety of deals, which might be more stimulating for you.
Venture Capital: If you're interested in cutting-edge technology and startups, venture capital might be a thrilling field for you. It's fast-paced and you get to work with innovative companies.
Entrepreneurship: Perhaps you have an idea for a business or a passion project. Your background in PE could give you a solid foundation to start your own venture.
Consulting: With your analytical skills and experience in PE, consulting could be a good fit. It offers project diversity and the opportunity to solve different problems across industries.
For those with ADHD, finding a career that offers variety, creativity, and the ability to work on multiple projects can be key to staying engaged. It's also important to find an environment that is supportive and where you can use tools or strategies to manage your ADHD effectively.
Remember, the skills you've honed in infra PE, such as financial modeling, due diligence, and strategic analysis, are highly valued across many areas in finance and beyond. It's all about finding the right fit for your interests and working style. Keep swinging through the finance jungle, and you'll find a branch that feels just right!
Sources: Overview of Infrastructure Private Equity, Q&A - Infrastructure PE & IBD, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/ib-pu-vs-infra-project-finance-teams-for-infra-pe-recruiting?customgpt=1, How to have a long career in PE?, Federal Lending Experience -> Project Finance/Infra PE?
Has ADHD, monkey bot tells them to go to Investment banking
AI will doom the world
I'm guessing you specialize in data centers, I would be bored out of my mind too. Couple of options, lateral to a another infra PE role with broader mandate, move to MM private credit, or into VC clean tech.
Nope, it's district heating! I still very copy-pasted. I think higher ups have more variety since they negociate some contracts but it remains VERY similar, they still work insane hours and I'd still have a shit time until I get promoted. And that's unlikely to happen quickly under the circumstances.
I did a little bit of early stage before entering infra PE, so I was thinking either:
- VC cleantech
- Impact fund with lots of investments on smaller project. I'm convinced this is the option with the least crazy people
- Small-cap PE, looking through a lot of mature-ish companies and doing small and quick investments
- Doing a full 180 and going to strategy with a specialism in finance. Projects are short and once delivered you move to something else
Still unsure what is the best out of all of this
District heating is arguably one of the most boring and granular businesses. Not sure what s more boring than RAB models.
I’d just say go away from core infra and move to something more core+ / value add
Perhaps seek a fund that focuses on more verticals like power generation platforms or other parts of the value chain, going from the generation side to energy services / AM and O&M services for development projects.
Also, there are other infra segments that are interesting (at least in my view) such as rail, ferries and transport in general, both on the leasing side and the operator side (apart from roads, equally boring)
I fear that my issue with infra itself is that it's complicated models and you fight for 0.01%. I worked on quasi-VC investments in power generation and similar which was much funnier as the models were simpler and the complexity was in understanding the tech but at this point I may well go invest in cleantech or SMEs so I never see a model with more than 3 sheets ever again
I had no idea that funds specialized in district heating. I've worked on one of those before, very dry business. I'd try to jump to a MM Infra fund that has a much broader mandate. If you're at the associate level, you should be a decent candidate.
what's boring about data centers? the industry is changing at a rapid pace (rack density, cooling tech, building design) and we're on our 3rd wave of data center deployments over the past ~20yrs (inference will be 4th). It's increasingly tied to power as that's the limiting factor now - data center professionals now need to know more about power than in the past. Expansion into Tier 2 markets as well.
I find it super interesting but hey, that's just me.
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