Tom Bonsundy-O’Bryan
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Meta
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
I served as a diplomat across Africa, the Middle East and Asia with the Foreign Office and United Nations – primarily serving in conflict-affected countries, like Afghanistan and Congo. I studied for a Masters of Public Policy at Harvard University, on a Kennedy Scholarship, and published a book about football and war. For the past 5+ years, I’ve led Meta’s policy team tackling misinformation in Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
I love politics, learning languages, and discovering new places. I’ve also become fascinated by the complex relationship between technology and international politics. My different roles have exposed me to all of this and more!
Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?
I founded a nonprofit while at Exeter and got involved in local political campaigns.
What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?
The dissertation – I actually wrote two! I loved the opportunity to dive deep into a specific topic that interested me. The Arab Spring was the defining issue of our time in 2013, and both of my dissertations focused on the revolutions across the Middle East and North Africa – inspired by a summer consulting role in Tunisia before my final year.
What did you most enjoy about studying here?
The amazing lecturers and professors we got to learn from. I had some wonderful mentors, like Claire Dunlop, who inspired me and gave me the confidence to dream big!
Why did you choose to study at Exeter?
I loved the green and open campus, the diversity of electives available from relatively early in the course, and the opportunities for self-development.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
1: Relationships! For better or worse, it’s the single most important thing for your career development. It can be daunting when you go out to recruit somebody – you never fully know how a given person will fit in with your existing team and culture. If a candidate comes highly recommended from someone you trust, or you’ve worked with them before, it reduces that risk significantly. Exeter gave me networks that still help me today.
2: Confidence! Absolutely everyone – from the Prime Minister and CEOs down – is making it up as they go along, often to a very significant extent. We live in a volatile world! You need confidence to embrace uncertainty and take risks. Exeter was transformative for making me feel more confident in who I am as a person and what my values are.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
1: Ask other people for help and advice. People love to feel like they’re helping others – you’ll be surprised how often people will be willing to talk about their own experience and help you.
2: Build relationships and speak to people. Could outreach on LinkedIn is fine for a starting point. At the end of every conversation, ask who else they could introduce you to in their network.
What are your plans for the future?
The world is changing too fast to make long-term plans! I’m focused on the day in front of me, and doing the very best I can do. The rest will follow.
