Jarl Branting, Summer Trainee, Risk Analysis

Hello, I am Jarl Branting, Corporate Risk Analysis Summer Trainee at Fortum. My role is mostly about evaluating financials of Fortum counterparties, discussing risks associated with existing and new contracts, advising on appropriate limits for sales, purchase and trading teams and staying updated on new developments related to Nordic corporations and the economy overall. After summer, I will be finishing my Master’s in Accounting, Valuation & Financial Management at Stockholm School of Economics.

I decided to join Fortum since I am interested in the topic of financial risk and how it impacts value creation – the energy sector seemed like a great area to explore from this perspective. However, I became sure that my decision to join Fortum for this summer is the right call after reading a Citrini Research field trip report about the Strait of Hormuz. In this report, Citrini Research, a global equity and macroeconomic research firm, describes a dangerous trip one of its analysts undertook travelling through the strait despite the ever-present danger and provides insights into what geopolitical developments in the Middle East mean for markets. In that report, Fortum is mentioned as one of the companies with high potential in the future, particularly due to its strong hydro generation and its EU origin. This made me realise that, firstly, it is important to further develop the energy sector in our region to ensure independence and resilience to global shocks and, secondly, that effective risk management is paramount for the success of this strategically important mission. And I am excited to learn how this is done.

 

I mostly work with exploring the financials of the companies that Fortum has sales, purchasing, or trading relationships with, trying to understand their business models and proposing internal credit codes based on the findings.

 

In my current role, I mostly work with exploring the financials of the companies that Fortum has sales, purchasing, or trading relationships with, trying to understand their business models and proposing internal credit codes based on the findings. The goal is to find out how profitable, liquid and risky a certain company is. Based on this information, limits for Fortum clients, purchasing and trading counterparties are set, which allows Fortum to limit exposures to risky deals. Overall, this type of work gives insights into different business areas and allows to gain knowledge about the Nordic industries and their financial standing. From a corporate strategy perspective, such analysis allows to get a sense of Fortum risk appetite, and to see how risk mitigating decisions are translated into action.

 

Colleagues are very supportive, have strong knowledge in the field and create a perfect environment for development within corporate risk management.

 

Of course, my team is also a major reason why the Fortum traineeship is an excellent experience. Colleagues are very supportive, have strong knowledge in the field and create a perfect environment for development within corporate risk management. Most importantly, however, they are great people to be around. In particular, I enjoy being part of a team where I can ask questions if something is unclear, but, at the same time, show initiative when it is needed – and here is exactly such an environment. I will miss it and highly recommend Fortum Corporate Risk Team to anyone who wants to see how sustainable energy leadership is being built!