My time at the University of Edinburgh was a very positive experience, both in terms of living in such a historic and international city, and in terms of my choice of academic subject. I studied both computer science and business in my first two years and this combination helped me greatly in my following career.
After graduating from the Business School in 1997, I moved to London to study for a Masters in Finance before pursuing a career in investment banking — first as a senior analyst with Citi before joining Macquarie in 2008.
Until 2019, I was their Global Head of Quantitative Research and Strategy. My team researched and developed equity systematic trading strategies using both traditional and AI techniques to service global institutional investors. I managed teams across the global regions, appreciating the diversity in running a successful organisation. My career allowed me to travel extensively around the world and explore different cultures. Tokyo remains my favourite city, closely followed by Austin.
In 2018 my wife and I decided it was time for a change so we moved to Edinburgh from India, and our two daughters joined Fettes College. Although I initially commuted to London for work, it was not long before I decided it was time to evaluate what was most important. I think everyone goes through a phase when they do this. For some it will come earlier, for others it will come later.
We realised as a family that our girls needed us both in Edinburgh.
I believe that if you want to leave any sort of inheritance to your children then it should be time not money, so for us it was definitely the right time to prioritise our girls and to help them adjust to life in Edinburgh and to the different educational system.
Two years on, our girls (now aged 15 and 13) are much more settled. As a result, I have been able to channel my energy a little bit away from the family and back to something else.
Helping Young Adults
I have a keen interest in helping young adults improve their communication skills which, from my professional experience, drives higher productivity and leads to successful careers. I joined the Board of an Edinburgh-based charity, English-Speaking Union (ESU) Scotland, which helps young adults improve their communication skills through public speaking, and debating programmes and competitions.
These confidence building activities can help reduce the attainment gap and provide young adults, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with access to a broader set of careers.
Personally, I feel that we do not always give that much responsibility or credit to young people and yet when you offer them a platform like this, to grow and express themselves, they discover just how much they can achieve. This was why it was such an important project for me to get involved in.
I have also had the chance to share my professional experiences with students through engaging with activities at the Business School. During my own university years, I enjoyed interacting and listening to industry professionals whose life experiences and advice helped me in my journey, so I was keen to do the same.
Over the past two years, I have been involved with the Edinburgh Award Mentoring programme. I’ve enjoyed participating in this well-structured programme where you are paired with a final year student. The student benefits from your advice and guidance on topics ranging from choosing career paths, dealing with difficult situations, and general advice on how to prepare themselves for real-world challenges.
I have also been involved in the Business School’s 100 Second Pitch competition which mirrors the BBC programme Dragons’ Den. This is my second year judging this event and I am very impressed by students’ general awareness and knowledge, maturity, confidence, and the quality of ideas. What is equally impressive is how well the Business School supports these students with professional advice and guidance so that they can fulfil their entrepreneurship dreams.
Both of these have been rewarding experiences and I would definitely encourage other alumni to get involved in these programmes.
Financial Literacy
Looking ahead, I continue to find the world of finance a fascinating place and am particularly interested in financial literacy and finding ways to help people make better financial decisions. I feel that much can be done in terms of improving access to ideas so that individuals understand that if they planned their life better, they could have financial freedom earlier.
The growth in technology has certainly opened up the opportunity to build businesses such as this to help people, so I am currently exploring the option of setting up a FinTech business.
This would give me the work-life balance I am looking for, while continuing to live in the beautiful city of Edinburgh that I first fell in love with as a student, now that my family have finally adjusted to the local weather!