Inside qashqade: Vivien Tax

In a series of interviews, we find out what makes the people at qashqade tick. In this article we sat down with Vivien Tax who is an Associate in our Services for Private Markets team.

Hi Vivien, can you explain a little about what you do in your role here at qashqade?

I work in the Services for Private Markets team, as an Associate. My primary responsibilities include the implementation of waterfall calculations in qashqade and overseeing the seamless onboarding of clients through training sessions. During implementation projects, I have regular meetings with our clients, conduct in-depth analysis of their LPAs and current models to transform these into streamlined and user-friendly solutions for them in qashqade. Additionally, I leverage my expertise to help our software development team, ensuring the development of user-friendly and tailored software solutions that meet the specific needs of our clients.

How has your previous experience in other roles helped you with your role at qashqade?

I hold a Master of Science degree in Finance, which has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of investments and financial institutions. In my previous experience as a business analyst for a duration of two years, I developed my analytical thinking abilities while successfully managing client relationships. Moreover, I built up expertise in supporting software development processes to effectively address client requirements. Later I gained valuable experience as an investment manager at a Hungarian venture capital firm for 1.5 years, which enhanced my understanding of our clients’ perspective and familiarized me with key contractual terms of legal documents.

What are the typical kind of challenges you encounter when helping clients with waterfall calculations?

I would say that the main challenge is the information assymetry between our clients and the implementation team. The clients seeking to implement a particular solution, typically possess their own domain expertise and specific needs. However, they may not possess the same level of technical knowledge of the software as the implementation team. As a result, there can be a gap in their understanding of the technical aspects and limitations involved in the implementation. Active management of this information gap is crucial for successful collaboration between the clients and the implementation team, enabling a more accurate understanding of requirements and the efficient delivery of solutions that align with the clients' needs.

To address this information asymmetry, usually we establish regular (weekly, bi-weekly) calls with our clients. On these meetings the implementation team ask clarifying questions, and provide clear explanations of technical concepts. To help bridge the information gap and ensure transparency throughout the implementation process, we give regular status updates to our clients.

Where do you get inspiration from to help you in your role?

Client calls serve as a great source of inspiration for me, as our clients provide invaluable firsthand insights into the operations of financial institutions. Each interaction with them further enriches my understanding of our software and the range of business use cases it serves.