Anton Paukner

Anton works as a Portfolio Executive for CDC Group plc.

I have an engineering background and worked for over seven years in management consulting (financial services) throughout Europe. My passion to positively impact the livelihood of people motivated me to look for a professional transition; my interest lies at the intersection of the public and private sector and I see a powerful lever in the financial services industry. Ultimately, my objective was to combine those aspects through a tailored academic training, and I saw the best match of my academic, professional and personal preferences with the SPP's offer.

The approachability of professors, teaching assistants and students made me feel part of the rich LSE community. I believe this community created much of the serendipity which made every day on campus special. I joined many conferences and talks, met with students and alumni from different departments, and engaged with many professors and teaching assistants even outside the curriculum.

I shared so many bright moments with my fellow classmates. The policy trip to Scotland in our early MPP days is a memorable experience - what could be a better bonding experience with your classmates than a hike to Arthur's seat in cold autumn weather followed by a heart-warming tasting of Scottish spirits? Another personal highlight was the GPPN 2020 conference in London, where I felt honoured to represent my MPP cohort and win the first prize for the best presentation with my team. I won't forget the celebrations and many inspiring conversations with professors and students across globally leading public schools in LSE's Shaw Library.

The MPP was an enriching experience for me and provided me with the exposure I was looking for. Through the well-rounded academic curriculum and the many diverse backgrounds of those in the SPP community I gained new perspectives, which helped me to make my professional transition happen. 

After the MPP I joined CDC Group in London working as Portfolio Executive in the Trade and Supply Chain Finance (TSCF) team. One of the things I am most passionate about in my new role is the tangible impact we create regularly through TSCF investments in Africa and Southeast Asia. I enjoy the close cooperation with our many partners in these markets and also contribute to the development of new business strategies. On top of the everyday investment affairs, I greatly enjoy the engagement with DFIs and MDBs to work on pressing topics such as Circular Economy and Climate Finance.

I strongly believe in the positive impact of trade finance, which represented a key part of my MPP curriculum. Recently a new report has been released on the impact of trade finance investments, where CDC and LSE's Trade Policy Hub have been closely working together over the last 12 months. One of the key findings from the study is supported by "strong evidence that trade has a positive impact on developing countries through its contribution to long-term economic growth and reduced inter-country inequalities". 

People were at the heart of my MPP experience. My personal takeaways are to mingle, engage with fellow students from the SPP and other departments, approach professors and teaching assistants, sign-up for extra-curriculars and conferences, and don't be shy.

Anton is happy to connect on LinkedIn.