Why Ardian: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Ardian Overview

Ardian (previously Axa Private Equity) is an independent private equity firm founded in 1996 by Dominique Senequier and based in Paris, France.

Ardian manages investments in North America, Europe, and Asia, and has offices in multiple locations – Seoul, Santiago, Luxembourg, Jersey, Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, San Francisco, New York, Zurich, Madrid, Milan, Frankfurt, London, and Paris.

The firm offers direct funds, funds of funds, infrastructure, private debt and real estate, and handles a portfolio of over 150 companies.

Their investors include insurance companies, pension funds, family offices, sovereign funds, government agencies, institutional funds, and funds of funds. Ardian has been one of the largest companies in terms of amount raised in equity by Private Equity International, and was also named as “Company of the Year” in 2013.

Ardian AUM

According to Ardian’s publicly available record, the firm has $160 billion of assets under management or advised.

Ardian Interview Process & Questions

Interviews at Ardian (or similar firms) can be different for everyone, but here’s a general idea:

• You might go through 4-6 rounds of interviews.
• Initial interviews are usually done by junior folks or the HR team, while the later ones involve more senior people.
• The whole process usually takes a few weeks, unless it’s “on-cycle” or “on-campus” recruiting.

In Ardian interviews, be ready for a mix of questions. They’ll ask fit questions, behavioral questions, and technical/investment-related questions.

If you’re getting ready for interviews and could use some help, take a look at my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Why Ardian

“Why this firm” is a common question in interviews. Interviewers want to know if you have a good reason for picking their company, rather than just applying to any investment firm with job openings.

If you’ve talked to people who used to or still work there, now’s the right time to mention them. Share how they’ve left a positive impression on you.

Listen to interviews with the company’s founders, leaders, and investors. This helps you understand more about them and come up with an answer to “why this company” that’s meaningful and stands out.

Check out this  discussion with Etienne Arnould, Ardian’s Head of Investor Relations France, and Benjamin Mathieu, Client Servicing Manager:

Ardian Case Study

Companies such as Ardian want candidates who have technical know-how and can communicate well. To assess these important qualities, they often use case studies. That’s why it’s a good idea to get ready for case studies since they’re a common part of interviews.

Typically, case studies at companies like Ardian involve tasks like financial modeling and making investment recommendations. But for junior positions, you might also encounter a cold-calling case study.

If you’re unsure how to best prepare for case studies, my Growth Equity Interview Guide can help.

Ardian Salary & Compensation

According to Glassdoor, the estimated annual salary for Analysts at Ardian is $109,486 while there’s no recent data for associates. The numbers may differ based on your qualifications, experience level, and how well you perform.

Analyst

Ardian Careers, Jobs, & Internships

If you like to see open roles at Ardian, go to our job board where we also feature job opportunities for other similar firms.

Ardian Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Ardian has made 119 investments and 114 acquisitions. Some of their notable deals include Palacios, Gantner, and Liftket.

Notable Transaction: Dedalus

Dedalus provides healthcare and diagnostic software in Europe which supports the digital transformation of countless healthcare organizations and diagnostic centers..

In October 2023, Ardian led a consortium which agreed to acquire an additional 19% stake in Dedalus.

Upon completion, the consortium will indirectly hold a 92% stake in Dedalus with Moretti retaining 6% stake and a position in the board.

This agreement was meant to support Dedalus in their new phase of expansion.

Next Steps

Getting a finance job, especially at firms like Ardian, means you need to shine in interviews. That’s why I made the Growth Equity Interview Guide.

This online course helps you get really good at important stuff that often comes up in interviews, like case studies, valuation, financial modeling, and more. If you want to do great in your interviews, learn a lot, and feel confident, check out the course.