Quantitative Analyst at Ion Asset Architecture
PhD Mathematics, 2020
Please tell us a bit about your current role
I work as a financial analyst in London. I analyse large datasets of financial data, searching for trends and patterns. This analysis helps me to better understand the micro-structure of markets, identify issues, and build predictive models for generating profit.
What motivated you to do your postgraduate research course?
I love mathematics. After my masters I wanted to pursue this passion further, which led to my PhD. Birmingham helped broaden my knowledge of other domains, and fine-tuned my problem solving skills, which has stood to me in good stead since.
What do you enjoy most and what do you find challenging about your role?
I like the fast pace and real world applications of some of my work. In the beginning there’s a lot to up-skill at, such as programming. There are lots of helpful online tutorials and books out there to help with getting up to speed with this.
How did your time at Birmingham help you prepare for this role?
Doing a PhD at Birmingham definitely helped to broaden my knowledge and develop my problem-solving skills. I also found Careers Network at the University of Birmingham a very helpful resource to interact with when I was job hunting.
What advice would you give to students interested in getting into your industry or role?
Reach out and engage with as many individuals as you can. If you're worried about your programming or quantitative skills, don't forget that there are lots of helpful online tutorials you can use to get up speed. Also, make use of Careers Network as a useful resource.