Jack O'Mahony, Business Analyst, Avolon

What's your name, job and employer?

My name is Jack O'Mahony, I'm a Business Analyst in Avolon.

What does your job involve?

In Avolon we purchase aircraft directly from the manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, and we lease these aircraft to airlines. We're a global company with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Miami and Dublin. In my role I'm a Business Analyst on the Pricing team. What that involves is participation in deal teams within the company for aircraft transactions such as acquisitions, sales, placement and the marketing of aircraft, and also capital gains and transactions. The job of the Pricing team is to analyse the economics of each transaction and present this information so that the business can compare deals and make decisions.

What skills are important to be successful?

My role involves a lot of analytical and quantitative problem solving. You need to be able to produce accurate analysis in a quick and timely manner. We also work across time zones so time management is important, as are Excel skills as we do a lot of financial modelling.

What led you to do a Masters?

After I finished my Commerce undergrad I didn't want to go down the typical Finance/Accountancy route. Rather I wanted to do a Masters but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do it in. I saw the Aviation Finance Masters and when I started reading up on the industry I realised first of all how big it was, especially in Ireland, and also how fast it's growing. It's a very dynamic, quick, fast-paced industry, and I really wanted to get involved in it.

What do you love about your job?

What I love most about my job is probably the variety. No two deals are the same. Each transaction has its own complexity, so you're not doing the same thing over and over. It really makes you think on your feet. In such a fast-paced environment, you never really know what's going to happen.

How did you get into your job?

I started off as an intern in Avolon. I was there for six months and it didn't really feel like I was an intern. I was a Business Analyst just like all the others. After six months a position became available, which I applied for and got the job.