Before heading to Saïd Business School to study for the Masters in Financial Economics, Alvin Enghanwen worked at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for about six years.

"As a Senior Economist in the Macroeconomic Surveillance Department, I was primarily responsible for conducting surveillance of the Singapore financial system to identify emerging trends and detect potential risks and vulnerabilities," says Enghanwen.   "And I also spent two years in Washington D.C., USA, advising the Executive Director of the Southeast Asia Voting Group in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on key policy issues.

Reflecting on his next career move, Alvin wanted a programme that would really add value, he says - a programme that would give him, "an exceptional grounding in finance and economics, both in terms of theory and application, in the shortest possible time." The Oxford MFE was the perfect blend, offering both depth and breadth of knowledge. Oxford’s reputation and standing with employers was also an important factor in his decision making.

The MFE program more than exceeded Alvin's expectations.  "The interactive nature and intensity with which the courses were delivered and the extremely high quality of the lecturers and students meant that I was constantly challenged intellectually," he says.  "I acquired cutting-edge knowledge in the process, and equally important, made great friends from all over the world and gained a deeper appreciation of different cultures and traditions.  Without question, my time in Oxford was by far the best part of my life so far."

The School also helped Alvin fulfil his career ambitions. A combination of activities designed to help with career progression and finding a new position, coupled with the MFE's programme's distinctive focus on practical applications, and a strong emphasis on linking real-world finance activities with financial economic theories, ensured he was well prepared for his career transition. He even secured his current position after applying to join Standard Chartered Bank's Management Associate programme following a presentation organised by the Career Office.

"As a Management Associate at Standard Chartered Bank, I'm currently responsible for ensuring the proper valuation of all the Bank’s private equity (PE) investments, reviewing PE deals to provide valuation analysis, and monitoring the performance of the investments and developments in key markets where the Bank has PE exposure," he says.

"My job is never mundane.  The investments are almost always structured differently hence the valuation is never straightforward. I am constantly challenged intellectually and get to apply the tools and knowledge acquired through the MFE."  "The MFE journey was one of self-discovery", says Alvin, during which time he learnt a lot about his strengths and weaknesses.

As he notes, coming up against the best in the field, constantly competing and learning from the best, your shortcomings quickly become apparent, and you are forced to improve.  "From struggling with the mathematics on Day 1 to getting a distinction at the end of the program, I think knowing that I am able to hold my own against the some of the brightest minds in the world has helped boost my self-confidence and given me the courage to pursue my dreams," he says.