Michaela Braskova

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Accuity/Reed Business Information/RELX Group

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

While studying at Exeter, I worked at Costa Coffee on campus, and later as a Project Assistant at a local start-up at the Innovation Centre. After graduating in June 2017, I moved to London and found a job at a B2B data and service provider Accuity, where I have been working until now. Accuity provides data and software to banks and non-banking financial institutions in three main areas – payment optimisation, At my current role I manage relationship with Accuity’s largest clients (largest US and Japanese banks, alternative payment providers, and insurance companies) and manage $20 mil book of business.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I landed the job at Accuity at the time when I did not really know what to after getting out of educational system in which I had lived since the age of 6. Financial industry seemed interesting, but I did not know I would enjoy it as much as I do.

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

I was a member of Czech & Slovak and Russian societies while studying at Exeter.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

I enjoyed the whole experience of studying at the university of Exeter, being challenged every day, but also the variety of resources I was given from the university staff and wider network to help me succeed. The programme exposed me to variety of thoughts and ideas from politics, international relations, philosophy, religion, history, statistics, and other fields, which have had a big impact on my career development. My biggest highlight was spending a year in St Petersburg, Russia, as part of my language studies. It was a life- and character- changing year.

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

The most important aspect of my years at the university of Exeter was being surrounded by some of the most ambitious and competitive young people, that have always been driving me forward.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Gaining work experience while still at the university was one of the most noticed and discussed points of my CV while interviewing after the university.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

Large companies require people with a variety of skills and almost always run graduate schemes to help young people enter professional world. What I personally found very appealing was that established corporations have a number of sister companies in their portfolios (Accuity is owned by Reed Business Information or RBI, part of RELX group). This gives employees an opportunity to move horizontally and explore other industries. For instance, RBI collects and provides data and analytics in business risk and compliance, aviation, petrochemicals, agriculture, real estate, health care, HR, law enforcement, exhibitions, academic and scientific publishing, etc.).

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to become a recognised professional, expert in the industry, grow internally and become part of a leadership team with time. I would also like to establish my own consultancy or a side business.