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This September, we welcomed another great cohort of Finance Master’s students as they begin their one-year journey on the following programmes:
640 students have joined Imperial College Business School across these 5 programmes, with 46% of students being female and the average age being 22. The cohort comprises 71 nationalities, giving students a diverse and enriching learning environment. Each student brings with them a unique career and educational background, many have come from a Mathematics, Finance/Accounting and Economics, as well as a Science/Medicine background.
Our students can look forward to learning through a combination of the latest research, practical application, and studying a wide variety of topics at Imperial College Business School. Furthermore, each student can choose their own set of core modules and programme electives, enabling them to tailor and personalise their programme. These include Entrepreneurial Finance, Real Estate Investment, and Innovation and Strategy in FinTech. These are shared across all 5 programmes; therefore, students can socialise and network across our Finance Masters’.
The Business School has developed strong connections with leading companies in the City of London and beyond, providing opportunities for our students to build their skills and confidence in the real world. Each student will gain new, unique skills that will help secure them a successful role in corporate finance, fintech, investment banking, wealth management or any other area of finance they may choose.
We look forward to seeing all our student’s achievements this coming year.
MSc Finance
Ranked #16 in the world in the Financial Times Masters in Finance Ranking 2022, our programme has a proven track record of securing students competitive jobs in the finance industry in sectors such as investment banking, asset management and consultancy. The programme also helps our MSc Finance students to obtain their Chartered Financial Analyst designation, as a member of the CFA University Affiliation Program.
Our 2022-23 cohort is made up of 89 students, 33% of these being female and an average class age of 22. 28 nationalities are represented in our class, exposing our students to new cultures, and providing them with an opportunity for innovative global thinking. Our students join us from varying backgrounds including Economics (52%), Engineering/Technology (10%) and Finance/Accounting (18%), as well as Mathematics (11%).
Zhfian Xu
Nationality: Chinese
Education: Imperial College London, Bachelor of Design Engineering
What is your background prior to studying MSc Finance?
I studied engineering and product design before joining Imperial College Business School. Previously, I had experience working in consultancy, venture capital, real estate, quantitative asset management and lots more.
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Finance?
In the long term, I want to be an entrepreneur. I want to create something people want in the future. I believe financial and economic education, delivered through courses such as corporate finance and business valuation, is crucial to make smart financing/investment decisions for the company. Therefore, the programme will be very valuable to me, providing the education I desire.
In the short term, I am very intrigued by financial markets, because they enable me to quantify the impact of my decisions and continually improve my methodology. I think the ability to understand macro drivers on a top-down level and company specific drivers on a bottom-up level is highly transferrable; it will be extremely beneficial for a future business leader.
MSc Finance & Accounting
MSc Finance & Accounting is accredited by both ACCA and CIMA, it aims to prepare students for careers in financial or professional services.
Our programme touches on some of the world’s best research in corporate finance; it is a highly pragmatic programme, allowing students to find innovative solutions to real-world business and valuation challenges. The wide choice of electives on offer here, enables our students to tailor their learning to meet their career aspirations.
The Business School’s central London location means students can build ongoing relations with major employers in the finance sector, as well as the opportunity to network with leading global organisations and the world’s top companies.
The class comprises 182 students, 51% being female with an average class age of 23. Imperial places an emphasis on diversity so we are pleased to represent 45 nationalities in this class. Many students have come from a Business/Management (35%), Finance/Accounting (46%) and Economics background (12%).
Aayush Gupta
Nationality: Indian
Education: Bachelor's in Business Administration, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Finance & Accounting?
My main motivation to study MSc Finance & Accounting was to enhance and develop an all-rounded skillset. Imperial College Business School offers programmes that are at the cutting edge of finance, leveraging the power of technology and smart business to create the business leaders of the future. In recent years, there have been massive changes in the industry with bold new technological advances. These include the increasing popularity of cryptocurrencies, the advent of Web 3.0, the introduction of NFTs as digital assets, and the idea of a metaverse – a shared, connected virtual world becoming a reality. These fundamental shifts will shake the very foundations of finance, and I want to be at the centre of it. The greater uncertainty that comes with the arrival of these new technologies will push investors – individual, institutional, and national – to re-evaluate their investment strategies, and I hope to be able to lead this charge, with the knowledge I obtain at Imperial College Business School through this programme.
What are your future career plans?
I hope to work in an analyst role within the financial services industry, particularly focusing on corporate banking or financial consulting. These fields will not only make the best use of the skills I have, but also offer opportunities to pursue additional professional qualifications like the CFA or ACCA, which the Finance & Accounting programme also builds towards. In the long run, I believe that I would also be able to develop a wide network in my time at Imperial and beyond, as I begin to identify and work towards my long-term career goals.
Hermine Fanyan
Nationality: Armenian
Education: Bachelor's in Finance at Armenian State University of Economics, exchange semester at Hasselt University (Belgium) in Business Economics
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Finance & Accounting?
My undergraduate Finance courses, coupled with my experience in different fintech startups has made me realise where my passion lies. Hence, my enthusiasm in FinTech brought me to one of the most innovative and technology driven Business Schools - Imperial College Business School, and particularly to the MSc Finance and Accounting programme.
This programme is the key to the financial world, providing rigorous courses on the impact of technologies and innovations on finance. It also touches on the role of big data analysis in business decisions. I chose this programme as it delivers courses (e.g. Innovation and Strategy in FinTech, Fundamentals of Derivatives), through which I can receive a better insight into the FinTech revolution, innovation and investment opportunities, and strategic options that will empower me to address local challenges.
Furthermore, I would like to highlight the opportunities the Business School and the programme provide to help students grow both as a professional and as a person. For example, workshops, finance-related clubs, and other societies that contribute to the enlargement of our highly important social capital.
What are your future career plans?
After graduating, I will mostly look forward to opportunities in the FinTech field in the roles of consulting, strategy planning and analytics, where I can provide innovative solutions to financial services. That said, throughout my future work I am eager to contribute my capacity to the policies directed to the increase of digital financial literacy and inclusion, as only that way it will be possible to stimulate the fintech and financial services, as well as achieve sustainable economic growth.
In the long run, having entrepreneurial ambitions, I plan to establish my fintech company that would address issues of current financial sector, and be part of the technological revolution.
MSc Financial Technology
Graduates of our MSc Financial Technology will gain and enhance the skills required to leverage a successful and innovative career in the ever-evolving sector of fintech and beyond.
Our one-year MSc Financial Technology programme enhances our student’s in-demand quantitative and analytical skills, including coding and programming capabilities. The programme brings together highly relevant modules and electives to provide students with knowledge of the financial sector and practical experience through an immersive learning syllabus. A range of programming tools such as Bloomberg facilitate live implementations of financial models in the classroom and allow our class to analyse real world investment decisions and data.
104 students join this class, 42% of them being female with an average class age of 23. 27 nationalities are represented in this cohort, exposing our students to innovative global thinking. Many come from an Engineering/Technology (40%), Mathematics (28%) and Finance/Accounting (12%) background. The large proportion of Engineering/Technology students emphasises the draw of the Business School’s connection to STEM as part of Imperial College London.
Kalina Tsaneva
Nationality: Bulgarian
Education: BSc Computer Science degree, Queen Mary University of London
What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?
Seeking to be taught by world-class professors, pioneers in their respective fields, and my eagerness to study with like-minded individuals in a competitive, highly intellectual, and driven environment were amongst the top reasons I sought admission at the Business School – as I believe that the right community is as crucial to one’s success as academic achievement. That is why I plan to obtain the most out of my year at Imperial – academically, socially, and professionally. Academically, I plan to focus more on the core financial modules as part of the programme and gain proficiency in Finance at graduate level which, linked with my Computer Science background, will allow me to pursue a multidisciplinary career and fulfil my professional goals after graduation. Socially, I look forward to making lifelong connections with like-minded people from both the Business School and Imperial, and being an active member of the various sports and creative clubs I am interested in – namely piano, tennis, horse-riding and sailing. As an SSC Social Leader for my cohort, I also look forward to organising and participating in unforgettable events at the Business School, exploring London to the fullest through my “best places in London” list and becoming more acquainted with UK’s rich history by travelling beyond the city. Professionally, I look forward to kick-starting my career journey by making use of the Business School’s Careers Services, Imperial’s central campus locations and my personal connections in industry, which will all prove invaluable when it comes to securing my desired role.
What are your future career plans?
As a Women in Finance scholar, I aim to obtain the most out of my education – not only graduate with Distinction, but also participate in the various career-development initiatives such as the Continental Europe Business Club, Data Spark programme and Imperial’s Enterprise Lab, which will equip me with the full set of soft and technical skills necessary to succeed in my career. This will build upon my experience at Deloitte which laid the groundwork for my professional ambitions and allow for a solid career progression into a managerial role, where I will be able to use both my Computer Science and Finance knowledge to advance and work with a diverse range of clients and projects. I have always firmly believed that hard work, ambition, and commitment are the pillars of success and plan to use this conviction to succeed within this chapter and beyond.
Opanin Akuffo
Nationality: Ghanaian
Education: Ashesi University
What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?
I am most looking forward to the networking opportunities available at the Business School, as well as making valuable connections (both internally and externally), that will last a lifetime. Additionally, I look forward to exploring and discovering London, and hopefully touring Europe soon.
What are your future career plans?
I hope that my future career plans will include a software engineering role in an investment bank.
MSc Investment & Wealth Management
MSc Investment & Wealth Management is a one-year programme, made up of the latest industry theory findings, alongside the opportunity to find innovative solutions to real-world investment challenges.
The London location and the College’s connections with leading, global finance sector employers means that the programme is well placed to propel students into successful careers in investment, private equity, and asset management.
This year, we are joined by 86 students, 46% being female with an average class age of 23. Our class represents 31 nationalities, giving students the opportunity to create global business connections, contribute different ideas and solutions in the classroom and thereby learn from one another. 33% of the class come from an Economics background, 35% from Finance/Accounting and 12% from Engineering/Technology.
Oghenetega Oghuvwu
Nationality: Nigerian
Education: Economics and Development Studies, Covenant University in Nigeria
What is your background prior to studying MSc Investment & Wealth Management?
Previously, I worked with the Transactions team at Ernst & Young and I also worked as a fund accounting analyst before that. I am also an ACCA -Association of Certified Chartered Accountants- charter holder.
What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?
I am looking forward to developing lifelong relationships and expanding my network, exploring London and having fun to be honest!
MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering
MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering prepares our future graduates for careers in financial engineering and risk management. Our programme is credited by the Professional Risk Manager’s International Association (PRMIA) and it is a highly quantitative programme for technically minded students. Our students have joined us, eager to engage in the deep, analytical study of risk management and financial engineering.
With a cohort size of 197 and 23 nationalities represented, this is a diverse class. 52% of the class are female and the average class age is 22. Our students join us from a variety of backgrounds including Mathematics (65%), Economics (15%) and Engineering/Technology (14%).
Salim Rhmari Tlemcani
Nationality: Moroccan
Education: Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Warwick.
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering?
I believe that the MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering programme is a masters that brings opportunities in a large spectrum of industries. The students can work in highly quantitative jobs (in finance or other sectors with Data Science or statistics) as well as qualitative jobs in finance.
What do you hope to achieve with the programme?
I hope to meet as many well-driven and inspiring people as I can. Also, I know from my background how the electronic components of trading systems work, and I hope that with this programme, I will learn more about the mathematical and computational components.
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