Transforming Global Finance with AI: Taran Jain’s Internship at Visa

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PREVIOUS CAREER BEFORE MBA

• Title: Commercial Underwriter, Middle Market Banking 
• Company: Comerica Bank

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

• Company: Visa, Inc. 
• Department: Global Finance, AI Acceleration Office
• Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA

HOW DID YOU SECURE YOUR INTERNSHIP?

I secured my internship through Visa's external recruiting process, as Visa was not recruiting on campus at Rice. I wanted to explore corporate finance, corporate development and investment analysis roles, particularly within technology and healthcare. While I leveraged Rice Business and the CDO where relevant, I also had to be proactive in identifying, networking and applying to opportunities outside of the school's traditional recruiting channels. 

WHAT WERE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE INTERNSHIP?

I worked as part of Visa's AI Acceleration team within global finance on several projects throughout the summer. My work included building a dashboard prototype for FP&A, evaluating how product and technical teams could enhance their use of AI workflows and agents, and developing standardized processes for tracking and reporting on AI solutions across finance. 

HOW DID YOUR MBA COURSEWORK PREPARE YOU FOR THIS INTERNSHIP?

Although my internship was within global finance, much of my work focused on AI and finance transformation rather than traditional financial analysis. Rice Business gave me the analytical foundation to approach complex business problems while also helping me become a stronger communicator. Strategic Business Communications (MGMT 594) helped me learn how to communicate effectively with senior leaders, while courses such as GenAI for Business Applications (MGMT 803) and GenAI for Finance (MGMT 675) gave me practical experience with many of the AI concepts and tools I encountered during the internship. 

HOW DID THE INTERNSHIP ALIGN WITH YOUR CAREER GOALS?

One of my goals in attending business school was to broaden my skill set across finance, strategy and technology while learning how to build a career within a multinational organization. Working on finance transformation initiatives at Visa showed me how a global company is using AI to solve real business challenges, exactly the intersection of finance, strategy and technology that I came to Rice for.

I will be returning to Visa's Finance Leadership Development Program (FLDP) full time after completing my MBA, where I'll have the opportunity to rotate across areas such as FP&A, M&A, deals, ventures and more while continuing to build a broad foundation in finance.

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WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE?

My favorite part was the opportunity to learn directly from senior leaders across Visa. Visa's global CFO took an hour to meet with a group of MBA finance interns and share his career path, advice and perspective on the company. I also had the opportunity to connect with other senior finance leaders and SVPs at Visa, ask questions about their careers, and learn from their experiences. Those conversations gave me a much better understanding of how to leverage the FLDP program best for my career and were some of the most memorable parts of my summer.  

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS?

First, stay organized. Keep a tracker of the companies, contacts, applications and follow-ups in your search so that you can manage the process effectively.

Second, cast a wide net. Be open to different industries, functions, and companies, and have multiple paths you are pursuing at once.

Finally, network proactively, but also strategically. Networking is valuable, but not every conversation will lead to an interview or opportunity. Pay attention to what is actually working in your search and be willing to adjust your approach. In my case, I did extensive networking across several companies, but ultimately secured Visa through the application process without having networked there beforehand. The lesson for me was to stay proactive and flexible.

Taran Jain is a Full-Time MBA student in the Class of 2027.