Simran Kohli

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Bank of New York

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

Since leaving Exeter in July of last year I joined the Bank of New York (BNY) on their Global Markets graduate scheme. This is a rotational graduate scheme allowing me to experience a different team within BNY’s Global Markets and Wealth Services divisions every six months. I’m still in my first six months of the programme, and currently working on a product structuring desk. This seat supports the sales & trading desks with trade structuring, product development and ad-hoc support. We’re a fast-moving and innovate team looking at ways in which we can improve the services we offer to clients, grow our business in new jurisdictions around the globe and drive incremental revenue gain for the bank.

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

I hadn’t always intended to enter a career in finance, but various work experiences and internships grew my interest in the sector!

I most enjoy the people I work with, I think finance tends to attract some pretty smart folk and being surrounded by those types of people tends to really push you – which I enjoy!

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

I was a member of the Politics society.

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

The people I met along the way! Lasting friendships have come from my time at Exeter. I also very much enjoyed the support I received from tutors on the Penryn campus – it’s smaller class sizes meant you had great access to lecturers and built good relationships with them.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

It’s position as a prestigious university and its great reputation.

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

Real attention to detail is a core skill in finance and often overlooked. Coming from a coursework-heavy and research-intensive university course meant I was equipped to break down complex topics and ask the right questions.

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

They should go for it! Finance is such a huge industry with many specialisms. It’s also so vitally important to the global economy. I think the skills and experiences you gain from perusing finance as a career are incredibly useful and rewarding.