At Langham Hall, we invest in hiring and developing junior talent across our global offices. Our internships offer real responsibility, meaningful client exposure and direct access to experienced professionals, giving students a foundation that extends well beyond funds.
Waka Fujiwara, an engineering student at the University of Edinburgh, joined our Tokyo office this summer as a business development intern, working alongside interns from Senshu University.
"Waka was new to the funds industry, but she worked hard to build her knowledge so she could add real value to our business development activity," said Shinobu Miyata, Head of Japan. We spoke to Waka about daily life in the Tokyo office, the support she received and her introduction to the world of fund administration.
A day in the Tokyo office
Each day began with a short check-in with Shinobu to set priorities. The first two weeks focused on building her knowledge of the industry through core daily tasks. From there, Waka moved into coordinating with fellow interns on company initiatives, from event planning and scheduling to drafting promotional materials.
Client exposure came early. Waka joined weekly client meetings, gaining a first-hand view of how the business works and the issues that matter most to the managers Langham Hall supports.
Mentorship as standard
What surprised Waka most was the investment in mentorship. "I didn't expect a financial services firm to put so much effort into developing future leaders at intern level," she said. "It changed my expectations of what mentorship can look like in a demanding industry."
In practice, that meant being treated as part of the team from the start. "Shinobu was always willing to answer questions, even small ones, so I could ask directly rather than spend hours working through tasks alone,” she said. “That openness made the learning curve much smoother. He clearly valued giving young people the chance to contribute and welcomed our input as part of growing the business."
Where finance meets engineering
Researching real asset investment, from green infrastructure to aviation, gave Waka a new perspective on her own field. "Advanced engineering projects depend on institutional capital," she explained. "Seeing investment in real assets, from cross-border renewable projects to modern aircraft fleets, made it clear that technical innovation needs a strong financial framework behind it. Understanding the administration side showed me how much structure sits behind large-scale projects."
Advice for future applicants
For students weighing up an internship with Langham Hall, Waka's advice is simple: do not rule out the unfamiliar. "Most students have never heard of fund administration, let alone considered it as a career. That's exactly why it's worth exploring. This isn't just work experience; it's immersion in a whole new industry and you come out with a much broader view of what a career in finance can be."
It is a view Shinobu shares. "We really enjoyed seeing how quickly Waka learned and the genuine interest she took in our business," he said. "That curiosity is exactly what we look for in the next generation of talent."
