We chat with ECI’s summer intern, Enayeth Hussain, about how he discovered our internship through upReach, his advice for future applicants, and the most surprising thing he has learned about private equity.
Q: How did you first come across ECI’s internship partner, upReach?
upReach is all about helping students from less advantaged backgrounds access career opportunities they might not otherwise get, whether that’s through mentoring, skills development or even supporting you with basic things, like getting clothes for interviews.
Coming from Camden, a lot of people I knew were already part of it, so I saw how much it had helped others, and I wanted to be part of that too. Through the programme, I had a mentor in real estate private equity and now this internship. That kind of access is just incredible when you’re a student. You get to speak with people in the industry, learn from them, and start to build your network. It really helps bridge the gap.
Q: What was the application process and interview with ECI like?
When I saw ECI on the upReach internship list, I knew that I had to apply, getting any kind of experience in private equity as a student is incredibly rare, and I could see ECI had an amazing track record. The submission was about why I wanted to work there, the skills I’d bring, and examples of teamwork or innovation.
The interview itself was actually a really good experience. It felt more like a conversation. I was asked about my interests and my studies – it wasn’t about catching me out or testing technical knowledge. I prepped in case, as I’ve had a few interviews where they say “no technical questions” and then ask for a full DCF breakdown, but I got the sense early on that ECI was genuinely interested in hearing from me and supporting my learning. That meant a lot.
Q: What advice would you give to other applicants in the future?
Do your research properly. I’d say understand what private equity is, but more importantly, understand where ECI sits within that. Learn what mid-market PE means, what kind of companies ECI invests in, and really get a feel for the portfolio. Private equity is about finding and growing great businesses, so if you can talk about a few of them, explain what they do, and why they interest you, that’ll really set you apart.
Q: What kind of projects have you been involved in since joining?
One that really stood out was a project to write up an initial investment memo for a company. I went through the company’s background, growth, SWOT analysis – it felt like something I would do working here. But, what was really great was I was then asked to join the team meeting and share my perspective, and it surprised me how much they valued my opinion. And that happened in my second week! Due to the younger end customer, I was able to show some different sources for reviews such as Reddit as I knew they wouldn’t be leaving them on TrustPilot. It felt like I was contributing, not just observing.
Q: Has anything surprised you about private equity?
Definitely how much of it is relationship-driven. I always assumed PE was more number crunching, but what I’ve seen is that relationships matter just as much, if not more.
There are conversations happening now with businesses ECI might invest in years down the line. That long-term thinking and trust-building really stuck with me. It’s also confirmed that I want to work in PE in the future. There’s space to be entrepreneurial, to build something, and to get results in your own way. I love that balance between analytical thinking and relationship management.
Q: What are you looking to do next?
I graduate this month, and two weeks after finishing at ECI, I’ll start a full-time role as a European Capital Markets Real Estate Analyst. It’s a bit like investment banking but for property. My time at ECI will be immensely valuable in framing thinking, but also it will be a great stepping stone to move into Real Estate Private Equity if I want to change in the future.
Quick Fire with Enayeth:
What did you want to do when you were five?
A striker for Arsenal until a kid in Year 6 joined who played for QPR’s academy made me realise that the dream might already be over…
What do you do to unwind?
I’m a big fan of “bed rotting”, which is just lying in bed on my phone. It’s my favourite hobby, I’m not even joking.
What’s your song for the summer?
RS6 by Dystinct ft. Morad
If you had to go on a TV show, what would you choose?
EastEnders. Everyone there makes terrible decisions, and I think I could help them out.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I play kabaddi, which is a South Asian sport that’s a mix of rugby and tag. I was captain and president of my university team, and I am part of the England set up, although we don’t really exist at the moment since we haven’t been invited to any tournaments. So maybe not that hidden… but definitely a big part of who I am.
