Wenyan (Daisy) Xu

Your time at Imperial College Business School

Why did you choose to study your programme and why specifically at Imperial College Business School?

I chose to study the MSc Finance Programme because I find finance an area that is intellectually challenging and keeps evolving. I think also financial risk management can play an important role in helping people better manage uncertainties in their lives, which is important to me personally.

What was the most useful/important takeaway you gained during your time at the business school?

Working together effectively in a team with members of different experience and opinions, in order to achieve a common goal.

What was the most surprising thing about the programme?

The programme is very practical - It is not just about theories and formulas, but also about understanding the latest development and trends in the market and industry. There are opportunities to learn from professors with extensive industry experience and insights.

What advice would you give to a prospective student considering studying the same programme as you?

To make the most of the resources provided by the programme and the Business School (e.g., career services) and connect with your fellow students in the business school.

Tell us about your current job

How has your programme contributed to your career success?

There was a lot of group work in the programme which provided me opportunities to practice and improve my communication and teamwork skills, which definitely contributed a lot to my career development.

How do you plan to use the skills and knowledge you gained during the programme within your career going forward?

Working in the banking industry, I find the quantitative skills (e.g., processing data, financial analysis) I gained during the programme very useful. Also, the knowledge of the financial market and instruments help me quickly understand some of the key risks facing the industry.

What do you enjoy most about your current work and what are the main challenges that you face?

The part I enjoy most about my work is that I keep learning new things, and the main challenge is to keep up to date with the emerging risks and how to manage them.

Alumni community

In what way is remaining connected to your alumni network important to you?

It is always nice keeping in touch with my classmates and the wider Imperial network. By staying connected to other alumni, I can stay informed of the latest industry developments and trends. I find this type of networking to be really important and can sometimes bring new opportunities.

Have you volunteered at the Business School since you graduated?

Yes, I have attended several sessions as a guest speaker for new students in the MSc Finance programme. When I was a new student, I found these sessions with Alumni speakers very helpful and inspiring. After graduating and becoming a member of the Alumni community, I wanted to give back. I feel it’s important and rewarding to share my experience with future students and give advice as they will have similar questions or challenges in their journey.