Peter Wallace

Current Employer/Organisation Name

AvenueBio Consulting

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

Strategy Consulting (Biotech & Pharma)

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

I chose this career as I knew I wanted to work in a science-adjacent field; I didn’t want to work in research or continue in academia, but also knew I wouldn’t enjoy a purely business-focused job. I was therefore looking for jobs in life sciences, and had heard that lots of other Natural Sciences graduates ended up in consulting of various types, so was looking for life science consulting jobs.

I enjoy the variety and pace of work, as I am assigned to multiple projects at once – which means I never spend a whole week just doing one task. I get to travel with work occasionally, which is something I appreciate. I also like working as part of a small team – normally 3-5 people – within day-to-day work.

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

I was a member of the Hockey Club for 4 years.

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

The breadth of available modules and the freedom to pick and choose based on my interests. My biggest highlight of the programme were the 3rd/4th year Research Project Presentations – getting to hear the full breadth of projects my classmates had taken on, as well as completing my own presentation, was a great way to tie up the programme.

What did you most enjoy about studying here?

Amazing facilities, and all the Natural Sciences staff were so helpful and engaging, it made the programme very enjoyable.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

I thought it offered the most flexible Natural Sciences course, with the freedom to choose across Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and everything in between, throughout the whole programme. I also really liked the campus and facilities (of all types).

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

The critical thinking and analytical skills I learnt at Exeter are definitely key to my career being what it is so far. My course also helped me to develop a broad scientific knowledge base and the ability to quickly learn and understand new topics – crucial skills in the world of consulting.

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

Any experience you can get, either in consulting or in industry, is hugely valuable – both on a CV, but also for your own capabilities.

What are your plans for the future?

At the moment, continue in Strategy Consulting. As I watch senior team members work, I can clearly see they have mastered a wide range of practical and transferable skills – and I want to learn and refine these.