Programme: MSc Shipping, Trading and Finance, 2017
Current role: Assistant Vice President- Credit Officer- Shipping, DVB Bank SE
I graduated from Athens University of Economics and Business in Greece with a BSc in Accounting and Finance in 2015. As I come from a traditional shipping family, I have always found shipping fascinating, which led to my decision to pursue a career in shipping finance. So, I decided to apply for an MSc to gain the knowledge and skills to fulfill my goal.
I chose to study at the Business School (formerly Cass). Of course, it’s location and reputation were certainly decision factors, but the main reason was because of its MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance. The programme is well-known within the shipping industry and a lot of people I admire have done it in the past. In fact, Professor Costas Grammenos was my father’s tutor almost 30 years ago.
The academic staff were excellent. They were very approachable, helpful and always willing to share their experience of the market. Also, the Business School attracts industry professionals from the shipping finance field to give talks. That was priceless, as they were very open to answering our questions, talk to us about their experiences and offer professional advice.
My highlight of my time was being elected student representative of my class and I had the chance to participate in meetings with the professors. I also joined the Shipping Society as a board member, which allowed me to be more creative by organising events for the cohort.
Speaking of which, the cohort was fantastic – they were like-minded individuals; some of them graduates, like me, and others with many years of professional experience in the industry. They inspired me as they really added value to the lectures by giving examples from their work experience.
The Careers Team was very helpful and professional. Knowing the competition that I would face in the shipping finance field, I started applying for jobs early. I really appreciated the help of all members of the Careers Team. With their guidance, I managed to secure a full-time position for one year in Monte Carlo as an Auditor with Moore Stephens before finishing the MSc. After that, I started working in my current role as Assistant Vice President Credit Officer for Shipping at DVB Bank SE – a role I also found through the Business School and the Careers Team helped me prepare for as well.
The MSc is very practical and is focused on the real needs of the market. MSc trained us on how to act in real-life situations, which is why, after graduating, I felt more confident and ready to start working in the business world. Subsequently, I was able to secure the kind of role I wanted, as the Business School provided me with the skills and knowledge that the market actually needs.
