Tom Kan

About you

What work experience/internships did you have before beginning with Imperial College Business School?

Before joining the Business School, I had an eclectic range of work experience which helped me understand all aspects of the big world of finance and what I was truly passionate about. I completed internships at PwC in the Data & Analytics - Asset & Wealth Management team, and at ING Bank within Wholesale Banking – Financial Markets. I also had an investment management insight day at M&G Investments and a full-time role at Legg Mason Global Asset Management in the International Global Fiduciary Platform team. This wide range of experience allows me to draw upon diversity of thought and solve problems from a unique perspective. I very much support the idea of collecting varying experiences early on in your career to widen your skillset.

Why did you decide to study MSc Investment & Wealth Management at Imperial College Business School?

Prior to joining the Business School, I knew I would be surrounded by an inspiring faculty and peers. Everyone at the Business School are innovators and change makers. This rubs off on you in many ways and is so valuable for personal and professional growth. It is a rare and unique environment to be part of and contributes to the Business School’s intrinsic value.

The Business School allows you to tailor the MSc Investment & Wealth Management programme to suit the career path you want in the world of investments; for me this was to support my passion for the real estate investment industry. The long list of optional electives to choose from makes the Business School unique to other universities.

Lastly, something that I was not aware of until after joining the Business School was the amazing alumni network. If I knew beforehand how nice, approachable and incredible the alumni network is, it would definitely have impacted my decision to join the Business School in a positive way. So hopefully a prospective student will read this and be aware of this great opportunity earlier than I was.

Did you receive a scholarship?

I was very happy and grateful to receive a CFA student scholarship. This scholarship covers a large proportion of the CFA exam fees and provides free revision resources to students. It has allowed me to study for the CFA Level 1 during my studies with no financial burden.

My advice for future scholarship applicants would be to make sure you want to make the commitment of taking the CFA exam in conjunction with your Master’s. It is just an added benefit to your degree and can always be completed after your studies, so do not let it jeopardise your MSc programme experience and learning. But if you do choose the take on the CFA, go all in and best of luck.

Programme

What aspects of the programme do you most enjoy the most?

Everyone at the Business School has such a diverse background. There are people from all over the world, and getting to meet, collaborate and learn from them is an extremely unique opportunity.

Being based in South Kensington is also amazing; even if there is rainy British weather, the campus looks and feels great. You get to spend the year in a beautiful part of London.

The teaching and academic timetable for the year creates an environment of non-stop hustle which leads to a proud feeling of how much you grow, learn, and accomplish throughout the programme.

Which has been your favourite module so far and why?

Real Estate Investment is at the top of my list because it has laid down the foundations for my knowledge to take with me into the real estate industry post-graduation. The module is highly applicable for a role in the industry and develops important skillsets. Like most electives, there have been fantastic industry guest speakers you otherwise would not have access to, such as individuals from Blackstone and Greycoat.

"The module is highly applicable for a role in the industry and develops important skillsets. Like most electives, there have been fantastic industry guest speakers you otherwise would not have access to, such as individuals from Blackstone and Greycoat"

What has been the most rewarding part of the programme?

Whenever you get time to take a step back from your busy schedule and reflect, you realise that you have grown leaps and bounds both personally and professionally. After finishing all the exams, deadlines, group work and other commitments, you realise the Business School has helped you cultivate the necessary hard and soft skills that are vital for the professional world. Realising the Business School has done a great job of making you a well-rounded individual for your future career through the carefully structured/designed programme is the most rewarding part.

What has been the most challenging part of the programme?

Balancing coursework, exams, and job applications on top of any other commitments inside and outside of the university is a challenging aspect that everyone at the Business School gets to suffer through together. However, it is all worth it and everyone can happily agree that there is no one at the Business School who has not mastered time-management skills by the end of the degree. The university does a great job in the first term to help you frame your mindset and approach based on what to achieve in these areas which are extremely beneficial.

Opportunities

What has been the greatest opportunity you have had at Imperial?

The greatest opportunity has been being able to meet and speak with alumni of the Business School. The wealth of help from the Business School and its alumni has been instrumental for my job applications and career. I was able to gain insights into companies and seek advice from those who once were in the position I am currently in. This also extends to having access to all the other people outside of the academic staff that make up Imperial College Business School like Careers and the Employer Relations teams.

How have you benefited from the Business School’s connection to the Imperial College London community?

The Business School’s connection to the wider Imperial College London community means that your alumni network expands even further, and you get access to an even more diverse range of industries outside of just finance – all of whom are just as willing to help you out as Business School alumni. Imperial College London’s international recognition as a top university is another benefit of this connection. There are also plenty of Imperial College London careers fairs and extracurricular events that you get access to from being at the Business School.

Career

What are your future career goals and how have they been realised since being at Imperial?

Just before joining the MSc Investment & Wealth Management programme, I realised my passion for the real estate investment industry, and I have used all possible resources to craft my career path into this industry during my time at Imperial. I have secured a role in the real estate investment industry upon graduation, and I am thrilled to start this next chapter of my career. A long-term goal of mine will be to start my own real estate investment company, and this has been influenced by the entrepreneurial spirit that has rubbed off on me at the Business School.

Have you received any job offers since commencing your programme?

Yes, I have accepted a role as a Private Equity Real Estate Intern at Europa Capital, a dedicated real estate investment manager.

From the moment you are offered a place at the Business School and even before the start of the semester in September you are being prepared and helped on your professional development/securing employment. CV and cover letter sessions, industry insight workshops, assessment centre help, mentoring schemes with alumni and one-to-one interview help are all part of an extensive list of support available to you from Careers.

Tips

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying for the programme?

Come prepared with what you want to achieve and get out of your time at the Business School beforehand — these goals and milestones will change as your time flies by at the Business School and that is a good thing, but to get the most out of the experience, it helps to know roughly the path you want to take.

Say yes to as many opportunities as you can. Whatever new comes your way at the Business School, just take it on and grow along the way. By the end of your time here you will be wishing the programme was longer. Everyone is willing to help you here at Imperial College Business School.