A huge turnout in the Mermaid Lecture Theatre greeted our five experts from the world of finance, with students keen to find out more about a career in the City.
The enthusiasm from our speakers about their roles shone through. Sarah Shackleton, Partner & COO from Seraphim Space and Zoe Long, Equities Trader at JP Morgan, explained how events such as Trump’s election or 9/11 had played out across the financial world.
Tobias Cooper, a Hedgefund Manager at Marshall Wace, explained how he enjoyed talking to experts who helped guide him in his investing decisions – so one day he might be talking to a political analyst and another day an economist. The fact that every day was different, interesting and stimulating was a huge draw for all our speakers.
Study what you love
Our students were keen to hear about how to access this sector. Our guests were clear that while the academic entry requirements were high, everyone had to pass the ‘Would I want to sit next to you?’ test.
Banks and investment firms want graduates who are rounded, engaging and fun to be with as teams spend a lot of time together. The degree you study doesn’t matter Zoe explained – so students should study what they love. While she studied Geography and History, at JP Morgan she is surrounded by arts and science graduates. Companies want to see demonstrable passion and interest in whatever role an applicant is applying for.
Thank you to Sarah Shackleton, Tobias Cooper, Will Pendrill, Elizabeth Debnam and Zoe Long for coming to Epsom and sharing their experiences with our community.
