Izabela Wigier
Current Employer/Organisation Name
BlackRock
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
After graduating with a BA(Hons) degree in Economics from the University of Exeter in 2014, I earned a MSc degree in Money, Banking and Finance from the University of St Andrews.
In 2015 I joined the Bank of England on the graduate programme, working as an analyst in the Markets Directorate, with a focus on analysing interest rate and inflation expectations derived from financial market instruments. I also worked as a Portfolio Manager at the Bank of England, where I was responsible for managing the UK government’s foreign exchange reserves. I was also involved in gathering market intelligence on global financial markets, with a focus on ETFs.
In 2019 I moved to BlackRock, to work as a Portfolio Manager in the Index Equity team. I am currently heading up the Factors & Thematics Index Equity Portfolio Management team in London, with responsibility for overseeing a range of index mutual funds and iShares ETFs.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
I was drawn to a career in portfolio management because I developed a passion for financial markets and investments. In my current role, I enjoy tackling the challenges that come with managing index equity portfolios, and having to constantly learn new things and adapt to develop new skills. I love working in an environment where we set ambitious goals and always look to innovate.
What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?
I enjoyed the breadth of the course and the variety of optional modules, which gave me a well rounded overview of the field of economics.
What did you most enjoy about studying here?
I enjoyed the Portfolio Management and Behavioural Economics modules the most.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
Be open minded to opportunities that come up when you start your career. Pay attention to what you enjoy doing and pick opportunities that align with the skills that you want to develop as you start building out your career. Stay curious and embrace changes.
