Investment Society: Vice President - Client Relations

Hi everyone, my name is Michelle and I am studying BSc Economics and Statistics. Since joining UCL, the Investment Society has provided me invaluable guidance on career-related applications through their development programmes, speaker events and workshops. These helped me secure a Spring Weeks offer and I would like to contribute to the society through a role as the Vice President of Client Relations.

I am particularly interested in this role as it aligns with my previous experiences. Having been the Boarding Council’s Head of Recreation and Enrichment in high school, I am experienced in seeking and negotiating with external sponsors for our events, such as international vendors or companies where they provide us discounts, finance and offer facilities or venues for our events. Among my other experiences, I was also the School Representative for World Vision Indonesia, where I managed key sponsor relationships and took the lead in successfully raising GBP 7,500 as part of the Lombok Earthquake Emergency Response.

These experiences have fostered and strengthened my skills in drawing up sponsorship proposals, negotiating sponsorship agreements to maximize sponsorship revenues, and in general maintain external relations with sponsors.

I truly believe that Client Relations is one of the backbones of any society as increased funding would allow the society to present continuously high quality events to its members. I am therefore highly motivated to apply these skills in increasing the society’s funding to expand the reach

I am running to be Vice President of the Investment Society because I will work towards helping us all get our dream jobs in finance.

I will make sure that our society brings in more big-name speakers, improve the current mentorship program and make it the best in the UK, and diversify opportunities through the huge UCL Finance Conference.

Right now, the mentorship programme is limited to an intake of few students each year, which must be increased and diversified across the board.

My goal is to give you more chances to learn, meet important people, and get ready for our amazing future. Together, we will make our society even more amazing and help each other succeed in the finance world.

I am standing for the position of Vice President of Client Relations, as I am driven by my interest in finance and my aspiration to build a career in Sales within an investment bank. I am keen continue the good work of the Investment Society and continue brokering relations with prospective clients. My academic journey in History, Politics, and Economics has not only provided me with a robust foundation in understanding global macro trends and political dynamics but has also honed my hard skills, enabling me to assess and interpret complex financial data effectively.

My passion for finance goes beyond academia; to participate in JP Morgan Insight Days, and work as an Investment Analyst in the Equities division for the UCL Investment Fund. JP Morgan offered me a glimpse into the real-world operations of a leading investment bank, from intricate financial modelling to the culture within an investment bank. Whilst my teams pitch on Airbus, which included a discounted cashflow model, excelled, eventually being sent to BNP Paribus for review. These experiences have  solidified my decision to pursue a career in Sales within the financial sector.

Moreover, I have a passion for building and nurturing relationships. My experiences have taught me that at the heart of successful client brokerer, lies the ability to foster strong, trust-based relationships with clients. This skill is something I enjoy and excel at, and I am eager to further develop with the UCL Investment Society. 

As a bilingual undergraduate with prior relevant experience such as co-founding and leading an investment society while in High School where I invited speakers from leading institutions such as BlackRock, Citi and Railpen to give presentations on subjects such as the fundamental principles of investing, I hope to be able to add significant value to the success of UCL Investment Society next year by using my networking skills to invite speakers from leading institutions such as the above mentioned. The opportunity to play a significant role at UCL Investment Society is highly motivating especially after taking part in the mentorship programme this year. I am also very excited to contribute and collaborate with talented peers and professionals and for the networking opportunities that will be created through being VP of Client Relations.

I am a natural self-starter and believe the insights and experience I have gained to date - both through the investment club I founded at high school and my placement at Tomorrow Partners - together with the business management modules I am studying at university, such as the Principles of Accounting - will enable me to contribute significantly to UCL Investment Society. As I learnt while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for charity last year, it takes determination and hard work to reach the summit and I hope to bring this same energy to UCL Investment Society.

My involvement as an executive and mentor in the investment society over the last year has deepened my interest and passion to contribute to this society. I plan to make changes in the committee's current work. I hope to use our foundation and enhance it to ensure the Investment Society is the place to be for anyone looking for a career in finance. I also aim to increase the socials we host to ensure that all members get adequate chances to network and meet like-minded individuals.

Here's why you should vote for me:

1. Elevating Our Society: I'll enhance our foundation to make our investment society the top choice for finance careers.

2. Empowering Your Success: I'll provide resources and support to help you thrive in finance.

3. Expanding Networking: More social events mean more chances to connect with others in the field.

4. Your Voice Matters: I'll advocate for ensuring our society meets your needs.

Together, let's make our investment society the best it can be.

I appreciate your support.

Hello everyone, my name is Berkay, and I will be a second-year Mathematics student next year. I am Turkish and lived most of my life in Belgium and Switzerland.

What do I hope to achieve if I am elected?

- I will focus on actively maintaining long-built client relations and finding ways to improve them.

- The client relations that UCLIS has was one of the main reasons I joined the society.

- I will proactively listen to the members of UCLIS to get on board new clients that are of interest to the members of the society.

Why should you vote for me?

- My international experience has given me the fundamental skills to maintain excellent client relations. Those skills are mainly my understanding of different cultures through living in four other countries and my ability to speak four languages fluently.

- I also cultivate a deep passion for Finance, starting from primary literature such as One up Wall Street by Peter Lynch, to developing a coding project for my investments.

- This passion and my ability to adapt well to given circumstances make me a great candidate for this role. I am also very present at social events and want to contribute to a society that is already giving me so much.