Leyi Liu

Investment Banking Analyst, HSBC

Leyi, from China, studied MSc Financial Analysis and Fund Management (QTEM) and found it equipped her with the cultural awareness, knowledge and practical skills required for a global career in the finance industry. She now works as an investment banking analyst at HSBC.

Before studying for my Masters at Exeter, I was doing my undergraduate degree in China. I wanted a career as a financial analyst but didn’t have the experience or knowledge to confidently enter the field so I looked for Masters programmes to help me gain the knowledge and skills required. I chose the MSc Financial Analysis and Fund Management (FAFM) programme as it provides a thorough and systematic knowledge of key financial topics all within one-year. This was an exciting prospect, which allowed me to push myself to work hard, in order to graduate as an eligible financial industry candidate.

I chose to study at the University of Exeter primarily due to it being a top 10 University in the UK. Secondly, I wanted to live and study in a peaceful city to help me reach my academic goals and Exeter is a very historic city which meant I could experience traditional British culture. Finally, when comparing the structures and costs of Masters programmes at different universities, I found that MSc FAFM at the University of Exeter Business School provided the best value for me. Furthermore, the programme was ranked at 46th out of all the finance programme in the world highlighting the quality of teaching I would receive.

After leaving the Business School, I had the opportunity to be an intern in the Valuation Services team at Duff & Phelps. After the three-month internship period, I was offered a position as a full-time analyst. I am currently working as an investment banking analyst at HSBC.

The FAFM Programme helped me a lot with my career development. Both valuation and investment banking favour candidates who are equipped with a solid financial knowledge base and who are able to apply that knowledge to the financial market. Some of my coursework and dissertation were based on real financial markets, giving me valuable practical experiences. My most valuable experiences on the programme were being chosen for the QTEM programme, which involved a semester at a partner university and a quantitatively focussed internship. I also spent three months writing an Investment Research Report for my dissertation allowing me to put my knowledge into practice.

As I planned to work in a global company as a financial analyst, I tried to develop my ability to work on problems with people from diverse cultural backgrounds during the programme whilst equipping myself with a comprehensive financial knowledge base. After starting my career at Duff & Phelps, I found I could blend in and communicate with my global colleagues smoothly due to my experiences at Exeter, this was also aided by the multicultural experience that QTEM provided.

I would definitely recommend a masters at Exeter. The professors, tutors, and other staff are attentive and highly supportive. There are well-equipped facilities and resources as well as excellent academic support too.

My advice for students wishing to pursue a Masters at Exeter would be to make as much use of academic resources as you can, manage your time effectively, actively participate in extra-curricular activities, and experience as many cultures as possible.

Studying at Exeter Business School is incredibly valuable. If you work hard, you’ll be rewarded with both academic achievement, overseas opportunities, and great employment prospects. My tips on being employable and succeeding in the workplace would be to become proficient in professional knowledge, be confident when communicating with colleagues and clients, be methodical when dealing with multiple tasks under pressure and show attention to detail in all that you do.

If I had to sum up my Exeter experience in four words it would be: Challenging, enriching, exciting and inspirational.