Andrej Antal
Participant of
Smart Deal M&A Challenge 2023
Interview about my Smart Challenge experience
Why did you decide to attend Smart Deal Challenge last year?
I am quite competitive, thus once I saw an opportunity to try out my skills in the field of finance and valuation and measure them against other participants I could not shy away from the challenge. I also thought it could be a valuable experience and a chance to meet and network with likeminded people.
What was the biggest challenge on this contest for you?
For me it was especially hard to deal with the quite narrow time constraint in the second round. I wasn’t used to work under such time pressure when it comes to financial modeling or valuation, before I could always go back and re-do parts I may have been less satisfied with, here it was not possible. But this could be largely different to participants with more experience.
If you would have a chance to participate in Smart Deal Challenge again, what would you do differently?
In our case study we had a few non-financial KPIs, these were important, but I focused too much on constructing a very detailed business model based on non-financial assumptions. This may have been too complicated and time consuming, I would choose a simpler approach if I had another chance. In other words, don’t lose yourself in the details, it is more important to clearly present the rationale behind the analysis.
What tips would you give other students thinking of entering the competition?
For the first round I would advise them to revisit materials from corporate finance or fixed income courses they had in uni. Other than that, I guess I can only recommend to rest ahead of the competition and set aside enough time for both rounds.
What do you do in Penta now?
I work as an Analyst and I am currently allocated on two projects, Slovalco and Penta Hospitals. It is my job to understand these businesses and the macroeconomic and regulatory environment they operate in. Each of Penta’s projects has a dedicated project team, it is my role to provide analytical outputs that should enable the us to manage the companies effectively and explore further opportunities, this should ultimately contribute towards growth of Penta’s portfolio.
What do you like most about your job and culture in Penta?
I like that people here are very straight forward and value efficiency.
Can you tell me more about the selection process for the Smart Deal Challenge?
The first round is an online test. Few of the best participants are invited to the second round, a valuation case study. You will then present the results in front of a jury. The whole process was very interesting and a great experience.
FOLLOW US - PENTA INVESTMENTS
FOLLOW US - PENTA REAL ESTATE
CONTACT INFO
ABOUT PENTA
Penta is a Central European investment group established in 1994. Today, it focuses on long-term investments into healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, retail, media and real estate development. Penta is one of the largest employers in the region and provides jobs to more than 43,000 people. The Group operates in more than 10 European countries and has offices in Prague, Bratislava and Warsaw.
CONTACT INFO
ABOUT PENTA REAL ESTATE
Penta Real Estate was formed by separating the real estate division from the company Penta Investments, whose origins date back to 1994. Penta Group entered the real estate sector in 2005 and has since become the leader in the real estate market in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.
Our goal is to create buildings that contribute to the urban development of a given location. We therefore work together with top architects and engineers and other respected professionals in the field. Our experience combined with their creativity and focus guarantees the highest quality and investment value of our real estate portfolio.
