Matheus Raka Pradnyatama, a Treasury Junior Analyst at the World Bank, provides insights into his role and experiences. His daily responsibilities include assisting traders in pricing and executing various financial instruments to hedge the World Bank’s balance sheet against interest rate and foreign exchange risks. He also develops cash flow projections for liquidity levels and analyzes funding, loan, and investment portfolios.
Pradnyatama identifies learning about capital markets operations as his greatest challenge. "To comprehend the risks associated with trades, it is essential to thoroughly understand concepts such as DV01, duration, and interest rate fluctuations driven by changes in the market," he states. Despite his background in economics and statistics, he had to learn many of these concepts on the job. His successes include executing interest rate conversion trades for a country’s entire loan portfolio and determining optimal liquidity portfolio sizes through data analysis.
He appreciates the multicultural environment of the Junior Analyst Program, which has allowed him to form close relationships with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. "This experience has shown me that though we do not share a nationality, ethnicity, or religion, we can have similar aspirations in life," he notes.
Pradnyatama values his work at the World Bank for its contribution to financing development initiatives. "Through prudent asset management practices, the World Bank can leverage its capital and provide substantial loans to low—and middle-income countries," he explains.
Senior colleagues have played a crucial role in his professional growth by sharing their expertise from years of experience in various financial institutions. Their guidance has been instrumental in teaching him about finance and capital markets beyond what he learned during his undergraduate studies.
Pradnyatama applied to the Summer Internship Program at the World Bank because of its prestige and alignment with his career interests. The internship provided exposure to different teams within the institution, allowing him to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios.
After completing two years as a Junior Analyst, Pradnyatama plans to attend the Master of Financial Mathematics program at the University of Chicago. He believes that this program will deepen his understanding of quantitative finance and asset management.
The Junior Analyst Program has prepared him well for future endeavors by exposing him to various sub-sectors within finance. This exposure has helped him decide on pursuing a career in derivatives, hedging strategies, and capital markets.