Bryan Wagner
By Sabrina Smith Davis

magine working in a country that is enduring labor strikes, a failing economy and the political unrest that led to five presidents holding office within a two-week period. Add to that challenge - you work as an investment banking analyst.

This is reality for 23-year-old Bryan T. Wagner (BSBA '00), who is based in Argentina as a member of Morgan Stanley's Latin America Team. Despite the fact that investment in Argentina has fallen, Wagner said he is busier than ever and relishing one of the most meaningful experiences of his life.

BSBA alum Bryan Wagner works in the Puerto Madero section of Buenos Aires as part of Morgan Stanley's Latin America Team.

In addition to his business degree, Wagner received a minor in Spanish at UNC-Chapel Hill and studied abroad in Seville, Spain, and Santiago, Chile. Kenan-Flagler sponsored his semester at the School of Economics and Administration at the Catholic University of Chile.

"I would credit my experience in Santiago with getting me interested in investment banking," he said. "I thought, 'This is fascinating, learning about international commerce.' I really wanted to focus on Latin America. I pushed that when I interviewed with investment bankers in the fall of my senior year. I told them I knew the region and could speak the language."

Wagner grew up in Cary, N.C. But as a fluent Spanish-speaker with an appreciation for Latino culture, he feels at home in Argentina and Chile, both of which are in his region of focus for Morgan Stanley. After a year in New York City, Wagner's job since moving to Argentina in July 2001 has been to work as a liaison between potential investors and local companies and governments that need funding. He also works with multinationals interested in doing business in Latin America.

Given Argentina's recent history of economic recession, the escalating economic and political turmoil did not surprise Wagner.

"In November and early December, there were rumors that the government was going to freeze deposits to stop the run on the banks. I missed the big wave of violence around Dec. 20, because I had gone back to the United States for vacation. As an American, it's been an interesting experience; because we trust when we put a dollar in the bank, in a year it will be worth roughly the same amount."

Wagner has spent recent months working with the strongest companies in Argentina that continue to operate as usual. He also has become an educator on the economic unrest for clients in the United States and Europe. The work has been enriching, but the most valuable aspect of his assignment has been personal.

"I ask myself often, 'If my experience were to end today, would I be satisfied? Have I done everything I could to meet people and travel?' I would say I have. The most rewarding thing is to be able to sit down with a group of friends or professionals with a different background and language, and different values and perceptions, and fit in."

Wagner was at first intimidated by the job he had worked so hard to land - the pressure to excel and to adjust to new cultures. Yet he encourages other Kenan-Flagler students to set lofty goals.

"My best advice is don't be afraid to do something different. So many Carolina students tend to stay in North Carolina. Regardless of where you want to be long term, I would push the chance to go somewhere else and add to your professional career."

Wagner still is looking for new opportunities. His contract with Morgan Stanley is scheduled to expire in July. He wants to pursue an MBA or a graduate degree in international relations or diplomacy, but not yet. He believes another professional experience will make him a stronger graduate student and better prepare him for his ultimate goal - a role in the public sector, perhaps representing the United States abroad.