Our undergraduate alumni

Current job: Business Services Senior Executive at MHA Tait Walker

Current location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2016

LinkedIn: Natasha Robson

Natasha's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

Since graduating in July 2016, I had been working towards my ACA chartered qualification at a medium-sized firm in Newcastle. Day-to-day, I prepared accounts for sole traders, partnerships and limited companies, completed bookkeeping tasks, submitted VAT returns and also regularly participated in audits.

Is that what you planned to do before starting university?

Yes, by choosing to study Accounting and Finance as a degree I wanted to continue my education and become chartered whilst gaining practical work experience.

Natasha's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

The variety of modules we had the option to take meant that I could tailor my learning to my strengths.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

During my second and third year, I completed a six-week placement at Ryecroft Glenton. This showed me what a job and practical work would actually be and confirmed it was what I wanted to do. It also got my toe in the door and they offered me a graduate job for the following year!

During that summer I also completed three weeks at a builders' merchant in their finance department, which was enough to know that I wanted to work in practice rather than industry.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was the President of the Women's Rugby Club at Newcastle University for two years.

"Join a club or society, this will allow you to meet people who will change your life and give you access to so many opportunities!"

The future

How do you see future technologies or new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

The introduction of making tax digital is changing the face of accounting with cloud-based software being the only option going forward.

The sector is increasingly becoming more digitised and the expectation of real-time, accurate information is now the norm. Therefore, emphasis on the advice and humanised side of numbers is the real key to future successes.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

Hopefully as a fully qualified and successful accountant, still playing rugby and most of all happy!

Current job: Risk Advisory Manager at Deloitte

Current location: London

Nationality: Pakistani

Graduation year: 2015

LinkedIn: Hasan Khalid

Hasan's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

I was a Senior Associate and member of the ICAEW with three years of experience in the London Top Tier (LTT) division within Assurance at PwC. During this time, I have worked with global clients in both the private sector i.e. pharmaceutical, retail and telecommunications industries, as well as the public sector i.e. not for profit and housing associations, to provide external audit services including audit of statutory accounts under both UK GAAP and IFRS. I also had the opportunity to work on SOX controls audit, Internal audit, Risk assurance and Compliance assurance during my time in LTT Assurance. After gaining three years of audit experience, starting September 2018, I was on a secondment with PwC’s Tax - Accounting and Compliance Services department. 

Hasan's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

Professional qualification exemptions and the balance of the course, including ease of choosing modules.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

Yes, I completed a summer internship after my second year at university. I did an internship with Deloitte in Dubai, UAE where I was an intern in the Business Process Outsouricng Team.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

Yes, I was the co-founder and President of Newcastle University Pakistan Society from September 2013 to June 2014. From September 2014 to July 2015 I was the Vice President of the Paksitan Society.

"Study hard, but do take the time out to utilise the facilities provided by the University to engage in extra-curricular activities. Ask your seniors for help as they were in your shoes once!"

The future

How do you see future technologies or new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Technology will definitely impact the Accounting/Finance sector, it's just about keeping pace with the change and acknowledging the change, to develop on your knowledge/skills.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

I'm always confused on how to answer this, no one knows what the fututre is going to be like, but I would like to be at a Senior Manager level within a Finance department of a firm.

Current job: Senior Associate (Business Restructuring Services) at PwC

Current location: London

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Aniket Kumar

Aniket's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

Upon graduating from Newcastle University, I continued my career with PwC which had begun during my second year at Newcastle. I worked in the assurance line of service within PwC specialising in Banking and Capital Market clients. I have now moved to Business Restructuring Services within PwC, working as a Senior Associate. 

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

Yes, I was lucky to have been selected for the Flying Start Degree which Newcastle University Business School pioneered. 

Aniket's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

My course was small in nature which led to a supportive environment. We were constantly pushed by the teaching staff to achieve our full potential and when required we were always fully supported. Having the support of PwC and Newcastle University was key and helped ensure that I was able to complete the majority of my ICAEW Chartered Accountancy exams (12 out of the 15) while I was still at university.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

Yes, my degree guaranteed work placements with PwC between years two and four. On successful completion of my degree and having passed all my placements, I was offered a full time position with PwC.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

During my time at University I was an Assessment Centre Representative and a Mentor to first year students.

"There will be many opportunities which will come your way, be it talks by established members of staff or work placements. Even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone, take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you at university."

The future

How do you see future technologies or new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

I see technology aiding the work we all do and I cannot see technology completely replacing humans for some amount of time. In accounting and auditing, I see technology helping us to work more efficiently allowing us to better serve the public.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

With the network I have been able to build during my time at Newcastle University I hope to move to Asia. Without Newcastle University and the specific course I was on, I would not have been able to be fast-tracked through the accounting profession.

Current job: Senior Finance Specialist at Freetrade

Current location: London

Nationality: British 

Graduation year: 2017

LinkedIn: Emily Weir

Emily's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

When I left university, I joined the PwC Edinburgh office in September 2017 as an Assurance Senior Associate. In this role, I worked on the external audits of financial services clients and regulatory focussed risk assurance jobs. Whilst at PwC, I had the opportunity to work with lots of different clients, take on project management roles, and have a large amount of client interaction. During that time, I also passed my final three exams to become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant (CA). Since November 2020, I 've been in my new role of Senior Finance Specialist at Freetrade.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

I did the PwC Flying Start degree programme which is a great way to fast-track in becoming a qualified Chartered Accountant. I knew when applying for the course that I would be completing placements with PwC, studying towards my ACA (the ICAEW Chartered Accountancy qualification) and, all being well, I would then be joining PwC full time after graduating. The course is very well structured, and the combination of studying, working and gaining a qualification made it a really attractive choice for me.

Emily's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

My favourite thing about my course was that it was quite small (around 50 people per year) and had a strong community feel. The programme was slightly different from other degree programmes as it included short placements each year followed by short windows of intense studying. It was great to have a close support network around me for this.

Did you complete a placement/year abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

The programme included three placements which I completed during my second, third and fourth year. I did these in PwC’s London office in the Asset and Wealth Management Team. Naturally, I felt quite nervous before starting the first placement, however I really enjoyed it and found it the right amount of challenging at the same time.

I think it has been integral to starting off my career in terms of growing my confidence and required skill set early. To anyone considering their next steps, I would really recommend doing a placement, whether it's a full year or shorter ones in the summer, to gain experience and get a feel for what you enjoy.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was on the swimming team throughout my time at Newcastle University. I used to swim competitively when I was younger but when I moved to Newcastle, I more wanted to join to keep fit and for the social aspect, and I absolutely loved it.

I met some great friends who I still regularly speak to and meet up with, and have great memories including going on tour to Spain and a weekend away in The Lakes.

"There are so many great people to meet at university. Whether they are in your accommodation, on your course, or members of your societies – just be yourself and you will meet best friends who are just like you!"

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

I think it's all very exciting to see how jobs in the accounting industry will change in the future. There will be a greater push towards the 'human element' of what we do, such as the decision making, the analysis of data and reviewing outputs of automation. In terms of the way we work, it's also very interesting to see lots of companies placing a focus on flexible working styles such as dress down days and remote working.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

With the way in which opportunities arise unexpectedly, this is very difficult to predict. However, I would like to move abroad in the future to experience working and living in another country. I am not 100% sure where or when yet, but in five years I will hopefully have this figured out and be there or on my way.

Current job: Associate Trade Marketing Manager MEA at LEGO Group

Current location: Dubai

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Yousef Mensli

Yousef's career 

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

I first joined L’Oreal as an intern after graduating from Newcastle, originally due to be a six month internship but I was offered a full-time position after four months. I stayed at L’Oréal as a trade marketing executive for 1 year and a half. I was then provided the opportunity to go to LEGO in a similar role at the start of 2020 to begin the direct to retail execution of LEGO in the MENA region. At the start of 2021 I was then promoted to associate trade marketing manager for MEA. A role in which I manage all trade-related LEGO activities (e.g. campaigns, permanent branding, promotional activities, events etc.).

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

I never planned on applying to L’Oreal prior to university. I didn't know what I wanted to do. However, I knew that I wanted to experience life in a multi-national company. A big part in me being able to get an opportunity at L’Oreal was firstly my experience that I accumulated during my placement year, but also my diverse background. I am half Libyan, half British so this multi-cultural background and understanding was crucial in standing out from the rest of the applicants. I knew that once I got my foot in the door I would be able to make a lasting impression on my colleagues, this resulted in a full-time position and has continued into my career in LEGO.

Yousef's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

My favourite aspect of my course was the options that I had in terms of the topics I could learn about. There was flexibility, especially during my second and third year. I also enjoyed interacting with a highly diverse cohort for three years.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

I took a placement year and I was based in London for all of it, working for four different companies. I worked for JLT (insurance brokers), S-RM (security management), Constellis (security management) and G+ Europe (PR and communications). All of these companies allowed me to realise what I enjoyed and what I didn't. The placement year is hugely beneficial, I can't stress enough how important it was for me.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I played football for the Newcastle University Futsal team and intra-mural football.

"I would recommend every student takes a placement year. Don't just apply to the big companies in the hope of being accepted, use your connections, and send your CV to small and medium sized businesses too."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Technology is having a massive impact, it is having an impact on my current role as I am diversifying into activating retail on an omnichannel level. The shopper doesn’t just want to visit a store and purchase anymore. All shopper channels are becoming interlinked through social media, e-com and brick and mortar retail. This was expected to come in the future but COVID has accelerated this process. It is becoming the natural progression and I am lucky that LEGO are investing in me in terms of training and upskilling in this department as this is where the future lays.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

I see myself diversifying my skill set as mentioned above and probably experiencing a commercial role in LEGO as a key account manager handling direct customers in the MEA region. I have dipped my feet into two different industries and two completely different company cultures already in my short career so I hope to take these experiences into my future path career.

Current job: Senior Consultant (Talent Transformation) at IBM

Current location: London

Nationality: German

Graduation year: 2017

LinkedIn: Rebecca Jordan

Rebecca's career 

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

After graduation, I joined IBM on their Consulting by Degree graduate scheme as a Talent and Change Consultant. I have been involved in many diverse projects for clients across a range of industries and it's that variety that makes consulting so interesting. For example, on my last project I advised a Chief Human Resource Officer on their organisation development strategy and before that I developed the operating model for a multi-national Telco to become agile and delivered coaching. At IBM, we use design thinking philosophies to co-create solutions with our clients and often deliver projects in agile ways of working, which is really fun and engaging. I have since been promoted to Senior Consultant in the same department. 

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

Before starting at Newcastle University I wasn't too sure what aspect of management I wanted to work in, so I started my degree with an open mind to see what I would find most interesting. 

Rebecca's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

As nerdy as it may sound, I really liked writing my dissertation because I enjoyed immersing myself into my topic (which was succession planning) and conducting research to understand the realities of it and the implications for team dynamics. The interviewing was something I hadn't done before but thought it was really interesting, and the whole process taught me a lot about my working style.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

I completed a placement year as part of my undergraduate course, for which I also worked at IBM in our South Bank offices. I was part of the European Sales and Distribution team and worked in the talent management space, mostly focused on learning and development and performance management for the tech sellers.

During my placement I started building my network and learnt more about consulting at IBM and what graduates typically do. From that, I knew I wanted to become a Consultant after graduation and having worked at IBM, I knew the organisational culture here would be a good fit for me to start my career.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

During my years at Newcastle University, I was heavily involved in Enactus, which is a society that helps vulnerable people via social enterprise. Most notably, I led a project in Rwanda advising and supporting a local cooperative in producing and selling environment friendly sanitation products, and managed the operations of the society. This included everything from marketing to member recruitment and development, to managing external and university stakeholder relationships, as well as commercial projects.

"Try lots of different things to find out what you enjoy doing and take the time to reflect. Don't be afraid to admit something isn't a good fit for you."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Working at IBM I am at the forefront of tech innovations and I am excited about how Blockchain, Cloud and AI are disrupting our ways of working. Even with my focus on talent strategies, there are unlimited opportunities to better engage and manage talent, for example the use of AI in candidate selection and performance assessment to avoid unconscious bias or using cognitive technologies to develop personalised learning.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

What a difficult question, particularly for consultants who usually don't even know what project they will be on next! 

Current job: Co-Founder of World Blockchain Hackathon

Current location: London

Nationality: Russian

Graduation year: 2019

LinkedIn: Anastasiia Ilicheva

Anastasiia's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

Since graduating in July 2019, I have been doing some Social Media Marketing freelance within different industries. When I’ve found my strong interest in blockchain and crypto space, I’ve started my career path at World Blockchain Hackathon as Partnerships Marketing Manager and has progressed to the position of Co-Founder and COO. At World Blockchain Hackathon, I’ve been co-hosting virtual global blockchain focused hackathons – Babylon Project.

Since then, I have also started to work as Social Media Marketing Manager at Domineum, and as PR and Social Media Marketing Manager at DIBA. 

As part of my roles, my responsibilities include but are not limited to: Partnerships Marketing, Sponsorship Closures, Social Media Marketing Management, Social Media Content Creation, Campaigns Strategy Creation and Execution, Email Marketing, Human Resource Management, Press Releases Outsourcing, Panel Talks Organisation & Moderation, PR, and Market Research.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

I knew that I will be working within Marketing Department, but I was mainly considering fashion industry for my career. My interest in FinTech space started after I’ve graduated from the University.

Anastasiia's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

My favourite thing about the course was the broad variety of disciplines covering different areas of Marketing and Management departments, and allowing you to explore your areas of interest. I was also excited that we had an opportunity to choose Consultancy Project as an analogue to the dissertation.

Did you complete a placement/year abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

Unfortunately, I’ve missed on this opportunities since I was an International Student and Visa Regulations were limiting access to some of the options.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was a Course Representative during my first year at the University. During my second and third years, I was working part-time in retail, exploring freelance and completing online courses.

"I would recommend everyone to network as much as possible during university and to be open to all opportunities."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

In my sector, I would say that Traditional Marketing was fully replaced with Digital & Social Media Marketing. Also, platforms such as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram allow companies to find potential customers organically due to the specifics of algorithms. And I’m also looking forward to exploring new Marketing practices within Metaverses and Augmented Realities.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

It’s hard to say since I’m involved into emerging technologies market, but I know that I still will be highly involved into Blockchain, NFT and Crypto industries, and I do hope that my DE&I initiatives with Babylon Project Hackathons will have a strong influence on the FinTech Industry in general. I also think that I will start my own Start-Up within this period of time.

Current job: Wellbeing Engagement Coordinator at Gympass 

Current location: London

Nationality: British 

Graduation year: 2017

LinkedIn: Emily Pentony

Emily's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

Since graduating, I have been working in the corporate wellbeing industry at Gympass. Gympass was founded in Brazil and entered the UK in 2016, it is now a global company throughout Europe, USA and Latin America. It is really exciting to work for a rapidly growing company and it brings lots of opportunities for professional growth and responsibilities. I started working in Business Development and then after six months, I moved into a Data Analyst role. In that role, I worked across teams to help build business strategies and priorities. It’s great to get exposure to all areas of the business and have the opportunity to make a real difference in the business. I am now Wellbeing Engagement Coordinator in the Digital Marketing & User Acquisition team.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting University?

I didn't leave university knowing exactly what I wanted to do but I have always been interested in fitness and wellbeing. I also knew that I wanted to work for a smaller but fast-growing company as I had done a lot of projects around 'Scale Up' businesses and entrepreneurship in my Career Development module.

Emily's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

I loved the combination of studying both Business and Spanish and also the opportunity to spend a year abroad. My course had an international outlook focusing on topics such as management across cultures, global business and the economy. This made it really relevant and interesting.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

As I studied Spanish, I did a placement in Spain. I spent the first half in Barcelona at 'la Universitat de Barcelona' which was a great opportunity to develop my knowledge in different areas related to international business and also experience university life in a different culture. I then did the second half in Seville as a Marketing and PR Assistant in a company called Glamping Hub. I enjoyed both studying and working and also living in two different cities as I got to experience two very distinctive cultures, meet lots of new people and improve my Spanish.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was President of Newcastle University Business School Board of Students which was great fun. We got to organise the annual Business School Ball and other student events. The Business school is also always hosting great events which are a brilliant opportunity to network, learn about current topics which are impacting the world of work and give you exposure to different industries.

"Seize all the opportunities that university gives you and aim to undertake a placement year abroad."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Technologies have made a huge impact on new ways of working, increasing flexibility and freedom as you can now work from anywhere. However, digital technology can also drive an 'always on' culture which can increase stress and have a negative effect on employee wellbeing. This is why it is more important than ever for companies to invest in their employee's wellbeing and for individuals to make sure they make time to relax and disconnect.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

Everything changes so fast, so it is hard to tell but I would like to move abroad again and work somewhere in Europe.

Current job: Project Lead/General Manager (Streams) at Chatterbug

Current location: Berlin

Nationality: British 

Graduation year: 2017

LinkedIn: Tom Johnson

Tom's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

After graduating, I moved straight back to Berlin, which is where I'd completed my Erasmus year abroad as part of my course at Newcastle. I was lucky enough to quickly land a role as 'Entrepreneur in Residence' at a newly founded online language learning start-up, Chatterbug. As the company was very young with a freshly launched product, my role was varied and involved building up from scratch areas of the business that would eventually become formal business functions: testing and defining processes and professionalising along the way. Back then, a typical day might have involved hosting a team breakfast meeting, tweaking our Google AdWords account, before digging into some customer service requests then putting up a shelf. We've since hired people to take on such things full-time, and it's great to see the early groundwork I laid flourish into actual roles in the company.

I then moved into the role of Business Operations Manager, which was essentially a more refined version of my initial position. I was responsible for HR and recruitment and focused on building the B2B side of Chatterbug. I also ran our social media channels. In late 2020, I was promoted to my new role of Project Lead/General Manager (Streams).

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

Although I always wanted to do something involving my German language skills, I never actually planned to move abroad. In fact, I almost gave the International Business Management course a miss because of the mandatory Erasmus year. But of course I'm glad I went through with it, I fell in love with Berlin that year and moving here after university has afforded me a job where I can genuinely use the Business Management and German language skills that my course at Newcastle revolved around.

In creating language learning posts for Chatterbug’s social media, even my module in historical linguistics comes into play. I certainly didn't expect that to be so useful in my career!

Tom's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

My year abroad. As cliché as it sounds, I'll never forget it and it truly opened up the doors of opportunity for me. I'm still in touch with most of the friends I met and still make use of contacts I made back then for my job today.

Did you complete a placement/year abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

I studied Business Management at a small university called EBC Hochschule for the first semester of my year abroad in Berlin. To be totally honest, it was pretty chilled out and allowed me to really get used to life abroad, make friends and generally just enjoy myself. In the second semester, I completed a full-time internship at a music studio, mostly involving business planning for their expansion. The work I did during my internship actually culminated in me doing some freelance consultancy work with the company at the end of 2018, when the expansion I'd worked on took place.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I played drums in a band during my time at university and was part of the Music Production society in my final year. I really miss playing drums live, but don't really have time to join a band here in Berlin. I still spend most of my free time producing electronic music and DJing, but all just for fun.

"If you've got the opportunity to do a year abroad, take it! And I'd stress the importance of doing an internship while you're at it, the contacts I made as a result proved essential in getting me to where I am now."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Chatterbug (as with most of the tech sector) is quite progressive when it comes to working culture – we're a dispersed company and can work from wherever we like (although our central office is in Berlin), and we don't really have set working hours. We use technology to facilitate asynchronous communication (Slack, Basecamp, regular video conferencing) and try to remain as paperless as possible (although German bureaucracy hinders this a bit!) I think more sectors will latch on to this path as the importance and benefits of a good work-life balance become clearer and as technology progresses to facilitate flexible working in ever more areas of work.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

It's hard to say, but I'd like to think I'll still be here at Chatterbug in Berlin. I'd love to see my work in business operations grow with the company into a fuller business function and perhaps start directly managing some team members so I can build up leadership skills. And maybe I'll get good enough at DJing to play live at some point!

Current job: Global Partnerships Manager at Next Level Racing

Current location: Singapore

Nationality: Singaporean

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Charles Theseira

Charles's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

After graduating, I relocated to Hong Kong for a job within the motorsport industry to chase my passion, whilst also being close to my family in Singapore. I was a Marketing and PR Executive with Craft-Bamboo Racing, an official Mercedes-AMG team that races in various GT3 and GT4 championships around the world. As part of my role, I conceptualise and execute creative marketing campaigns for various global brands, such as: Porsche Design, Evisu Jeans, Tsingtao beer and more, leveraging our racing activities. I also wrote press releases, created social media content and assets, outsource photo and videography, budgets, and much more.

This experience has allowed me to progress to my current role as Global Partnerships Manager at Next Level Racing, where I am responsible for growth in Asia through various community programmes.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

Absolutely. I've always desired a career working in the unique and fast-paced motorsport industry, I've had a passion for racing cars for as long as I can remember.

Charles's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

The streamlined content that was not too heavy yet direct and informative during the lectures was very useful and this knowledge has already been applied many times over at my current job role. I found the online availability of lectures particularly useful.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

I did a placement year at Goodyear Dunlop Tyres in Birmingham, doing Brand Marketing for the UK and Ireland markets. During my time there I worked across both the Goodyear and Dunlop and played a part in making Dunlop the top tyre company in the UK on social media in 2017. I also worked on various sponsorship leveraging opportunities, such as the British Touring Car Championship and the World Endurance Championship, amongst other things, such as B2B customer incentive programs and events planning.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was in the Motorsport Society and it was the best part of my university life. The close friendships I made during those long van journeys across the country were the cherry on the race car cake.

"There is no such thing as luck, you must create your own opportunities in life."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

I think that traditional marketing has been blown out of the water with new digital mediums of advertising being able to reach the masses at far lower costs. Marketing budgets are getting ever smaller, and traditional marketing ROI is slowly diminishing with time. Newspapers and TV advertising may still be relevant for the older generation but with the influx of new media, such as Social Media Influencers and eSports platforms, I believe that there will be more creative solutions for brands to reach their goals.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

Being a marketable personality and working with sponsors to fund my own racing.

Current job: Account Director at Raptor Marketing

Current location: London

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2016

LinkedIn: Alexander Mackwood

Alexander's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

I am currently at Raptor, the Student Brand Activation agency. An agency born out of a relationship between experiential marketing and student event promotion. Raptor gains traction for brands through customer acquisition and brand awareness whilst creating unforgettable experiences for students. I worked as an Account Manager in 2016, Head of Events in 2017 and I am currently Account Director at the company. My responsibilities at Raptor include: Campaign management, event management, ambassador recruitment, internal recruitment, website development, training ambassadors, client relations, strategy development, creative concept creation, market research, PR, budgeting and social media management. I have been leading campaigns for clients such as SoundCloud, Budweiser, Deliveroo, Bumble and Kelloggs.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

I didn't have too much planned. I just wanted to enjoy the early stages of my career and I was lucky enough to be offered this opportunity at Raptor.

Alexander's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

It sounds off but I enjoyed completing marketing plan assignments. You are rarely given creative freedom so when this opportunity comes along it is a pleasant experience. 

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was Editor of the Tab Newcastle (an online student publication) and Senior Manager of a weekly club night.

"Enjoy every minute of Newcastle – I miss it!"

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Various recruitment tools for brand ambassadors to help find the right people. Paid advertising on Facebook is becoming more and more sophisticated.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

Running my own agency.

Name: Joshy Jin

Current location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Nationality: Chinese

Graduation year: 2014

Joshy's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

During my study at Newcastle University. I saw a gap in the market for high-end Chinese restaurants in the North East. I had a goal to establish the best Chinese restaurant in the North East. After I graduated from 2014, I started planning to open my own restaurant in Newcastle. After two years of research and training, I managed to open La Yuan in October 2016. After 6 months of trading, we achieved break even and the business started to grow on a steady rate each year. We have earned the reputation of being the best Chinese restaurant in the North East.

In the first year of trading. La Yuan was selected for Dine on the Tyne Event 2017. This event invited 5 most established restaurants in the region and La Yuan was the only start-up restaurant in the line-up. The restaurant turned profitable quickly and was growing each year. My goal was to have a restaurant franchise and introduce real Chinese food to the UK market.

After three years of trading, I realised the limitation of this plan. The labour market is a big challenge for me. So I decided to move to retail, producing recipe boxes and selling them to the whole UK. I put my restaurant on the market in late 2019. I accepted an offer in 2021 after the lockdown was lifted. Now I am establishing a new brand Wowza. We are selling premium Chinese meal kits online. We are planning to launch in early 2022.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

No, I developed the idea in the second year of University.

Joshy's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

The support that I have received from the local community as well as the academic world. I chose the Business Enterprise module in second year, which is where I got the idea to set up and run my own business in the course with a group of students. I learned so much and met some of the people who helped me greatly later in my career. I loved it.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

No. After I had this idea of my own business, I wanted to graduate as soon as possible so I didn't apply for any placement.

"I chose the Business Enterprise module in second year, which is where I got the idea to set up and run my own business in the course with a group of students."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

I think AI would revolutionise the food industry, in both hospitality and retail. This is because labour becomes increasingly challenging, and it will not get better, especially in the developed world. We are moving to the tipping point where machine and AI will be cheaper than machine and human. The face of the industry will change overnight. I think that will happen a lot sooner than people realise.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

I see myself selling my meal kit business and having enough capital to move to the AI/energy sector.

Current job: Senior Associate (Business Development) at Shopee

Current location: Kuala Lumpur

Nationality: Malaysian

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Khai Wen Chew

Kelven's career

Since graduating, what have you gone to do?

After going through several rounds of assessment centre and face-to-face interviews with the Head of Departments from different divisions of Samsung Malaysia, I was fortunate to be shortlisted as one of the three Samsung Asia Elite under the Samsung Asia Elite Management Programme. As a Management Trainee, I would be rotated across three different departments, Mobile Devices Product Marketing (Tablet, Wearable, Accessories); (Galaxy A Series) and Content and Services (Samsung Pay) within a year.

I have now moved to Shopee as their Senior Associate, Business Development (Fashion).

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

I had always wanted to start my career in marketing and started to have strong passions towards marketing communication after completing a two months summer internship in an international creative advertising agency, Leo Burnett, during my summer break following second year.

Kelven's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

The favourite thing about my course was the learning experience and international exposure offered throughout the three year programme in Newcastle. This prepared myself to be a professional marketing practitioner in the real business world. As an international student, I was honoured to get guidance by my favourite lecturer, Fiona, in my final year. She was extremely supportive and helpful to me and my marketing consultancy project teammates.

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

I was a Marketing Assistant in The Great North Children’s Hospital under Newcastle NHS Foundation during my final year as I signed up for the Career Development module. Throughout the whole module I was given the opportunity to work in a team of three, under the supervision of the hospital’s Marketing Manager, to organise a charity bingo night with the aim to raise funds for the children's hospital. This was the best broad working experience I could ever have asked for as a marketing student as I got the opportunity to liaise with several brands, such as: Sainsbury's, Newcastle United, and Fenwick's to sponsor our charity event. Despite going through ups and downs while preparing for the charity event, it allowed me to develop my leadership skills and interpersonal skills.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

I was an active committee member of the Malaysia Society in Newcastle and a marketing committee member of AIESEC Newcastle, which mainly promoted the Outgoing Volunteer Programme to the students in Newcastle.

"Keep your goal in mind, stay focused and positive. Never let any learning opportunity pass you by, make the most of your university experience and most importantly enjoy the best three years of your life."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

From my perspective, digital marketing has largely revolutionised the marketing sector due to cutting edge technology, especially with the micro-segmentation marketing technique. This allows brands to use data to identify the interests of specific individuals and use digital marketing channels and tactics, such as: SEO, pay-per-click, paid search advertising and targeted marketing to influence consumers' thoughts or actions.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

I hope I will be able to launch a global marcomms campaign, not only to be able to benefit a brand by increasing consumer perception and awareness towards a brand, but also to be able to make a positive change to society.

Current job: Senior National Account Manager at Procter & Gamble

Current location: London

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Max Pashley

Max's career

Since graduating, what have you gone to do?

Following graduation, I joined Procter & Gamble as a Graduate in Sales and I was the Skincare Category Strategy and Insight Manager. My role was focused on growing the Skin Care Category as a whole, whilst also trying to grow our products simultaneously. I worked across all the large retailers and was frequently presenting my visions and ideas to them to help them and ourselves grow and win together. What I loved about my initial role was that I was given a lot of responsibility for someone who has just graduated in all aspects, from how in-store displays are executed, to what I spent my budget on. I also loved the fact I was able to go external and present to our customers about my ideas to grow their category.

Since then, I have had three account manager roles at P&G, and I am now Senior National Account Manager where I am the Commercial Lead for online and wholesalers for Braun, Gillette, Oral-B, Venus and Olay.

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

No, before I joined Newcastle I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew that I wanted to work in a company where I was able to influence and contribute to the day-to-day, but if you'd told me then I would have been working in skincare I would have laughed. Working out what you want to do before university is so difficult, and you can always change your mind, it's always important to keep and open mind as you have no idea what opportunities will come your way, and you could end up doing something you never thought you'd do and really enjoy it. 

Max's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

How it opened my eyes to how businesses and adverts work and the theories behind them, and how people interact with them. I found this really interesting and this has helped in my role now, and also changed how I see adverts around on the street or TV etc.  

Did you complete a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

Yes, I did a 13 month placement between my second and third year. I worked at a technology company called SAP, who specialise in business software and I worked as a Marketing Intern. This involved running advertising campaigns, producing content for, posting on and reporting on their social media accounts. It also involved organising events, from the website to the agenda and helping operate and utilise their sponsorship agreements with professional sports teams.

My placement year really opened my eyes to working in a big company and how much I enjoyed it. I got to see how the day-to-day worked and I was given responsibility that I never thought I would be given at that stage in my career. It motivated me to want to experience this again and push on with my career in a company which really values you. My placement year helped my career in countless ways. It gave me content to use in interviews for graduate jobs, and enabled me to stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs. My advice would be to definitely do a placement year if you get the chance as the skills it gives you are invaluable.  

"Throw yourself into everything you can. Newcastle offers so much - take the opportunities and don't let them pass you by! They will be some of the best years of your life, so make sure you don't have any regrets afterwards."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Technology is really changing the FMCG industry and we are constantly having to adapt. We are always looking to utilise new technologies in store. Virtual and Augmented Reality are going to change the way we shop forever. People will have all the information they want at the click of a button in store. VR will enable shoppers to walk down the aisles of the supermarket within their own home, and really bring online shopping to life. AI will enable companies to predict and have your replacement purchases ready for the second you run out, with these being delivered to your door as soon as you need them.

Technology gives everyone the ability to work flexibly, from wherever they need to which means I can travel and see other markets and use these learnings back in the UK. Big data has revolutionised the way companies help and go to market for shoppers and can be more responsive than ever to the desires of shoppers. With technology advancing more than ever the FMCG market is going to undergo monumental change in the next few years and it’s really exciting to be a part of. 

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

It’s difficult to say as five years ago I wouldn’t have said I would be where I am now. The skills and knowledge I’ve built up since joining are amazing and universally applicable. It has grown my confidence hugely in my ability and I really want to continue to do this and gain more responsibility for myself in my career. I see myself being in a role where I have the autonomy & responsibility to help steer the set the strategy of the brand and continue to work on brands and with companies that I find inspiring.  

Current job: AIM Trade Desk Analyst at Bloomberg

Current location: London

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Cameron Bateman

Cameron's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

After graduating, I wanted to stay in Newcastle for the summer and enjoy a final few months in such a great city, before moving to London. I was fortunate enough to be offered a summer internship by one of my lecturers, where I was able to use some of the skills picked up throughout my final year. I helped produce a lot of research and provided material for a government project regarding the valuation of a human life.

Whilst completing my internship, I was also looking for jobs in London within finance (particularly Asset Management). I was offered a job by the BMO (Bank of Montreal) in London. I chose this because the job allowed me to work across front, middle and back office. As a recent graduate at the time, it was invaluable in gaining an understanding of how the business works. I'd been involved with trade settlements and resolution of issues that have arisen, corporate action events, collateral and pledge account movements, cash and stock reconciliations, and much more. I learnt a huge amount about the lifecycle of a trade, including some derivative contracts, and gained an insight into managing a portfolio of assets. I also spend some time dealing with both internal and external queries and completing monthly reporting.

At the start of 2021, I started a new role at Bloomberg as AIM Trade Desk - EMEA Analytics. 

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

I wanted to work in the city of London, and probably within a finance-related role, but I really didn't have much more of an idea than that. I was very open to different career paths, and I think that was a good thing, as it led me into what I wanted to do after university anyway.

Cameron's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

I think the diversity of the course was the best thing for me. It covers such a vast amount of content, and so many different elements of Economics. This challenges you to push the boundaries of what you think you can achieve and makes you a more capable individual entering the workplace.

Did you do a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during you time at Newcastle?

I chose to do a placement at the end of second year. I applied for a variety of jobs but chose to work for UBS Asset Management in London. Here, I worked within Fund Finance for a flagship UK Real Estate Fund. I provided cash flow forecasts for the Fund Manager and had responsibility for multi-million pound transactions. I also collated and analysed data for month end reporting and liaised with both internal and external property managers. This was my first introduction to Asset Management and I really enjoyed it, however I wanted to work with Equities rather than Real Estate. I gained the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) during the year, and the combination of this and my experience helped put me in the role I am currently in.

What extra-curricular activities were you involved with during your time here?

I am a very passionate skier, so was on the annual NUSSC ski trips. I also played quite a bit of Squash, as well as 5-a-side football on a weekly basis.

"Always say yes and get involved. Opportunities rarely come from saying no or not doing anything!"

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

With increased automation, it's true that lots of jobs will be automated in any industry. However, with this I think comes a shift in job roles. An oversight and understanding of the business will always be needed, and there will be people employed to make the technology work. It's why it is important to be reasonably technological so that we can keep up with the changing environment we work in.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

I don’t know what the future holds for me just yet but I certainly want to be seen as someone with a reasonable amount of expertise in the industry. This should open up a variety of options, some of which will be more outward-facing than my current position.

Current job: Wealth Management Associate at Goldman Sachs

Current location: London

Nationality: British

Graduation year: 2016

LinkedIn: Victoria Wills

Victoria's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

Since graduating I started a full-time job at Goldman Sachs on their graduate scheme. This job offer was a result of completing a year-long placement at Goldman Sachs. I joined the Operations division in 2016 where I was in a middle office team responsible for equity derivatives support for the trading and sales desk. I did this role for a year and a half and then I moved into a Sales team within the Private Bank at Goldman Sachs. I am now working on a cross-asset sales desk with a client base from across EMEA who are mainly family offices and high net worth individuals. 

Is the above what you planned to do before starting university?

No, I really was not sure what I wanted to do and I did not know much about the financial sector and investment banking. Throughout my study of economics I gained an interest in financial markets and businesses, which encouraged me to start looking at internships in the sector.

Victoria's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

The course was very broad in terms of the modules we could choose. I really liked this, especially during my final year as I could focus on subject areas that I found the most interesting. 

Did you do a placement year/study abroad/summer internship during you time at Newcastle?

Yes I did a year-long work placement at Goldman Sachs, in-between my second and third year. This was based at the London office. I was working in a trading middle office supporting six different equity derivatives trading and sales desks. We were responsible for trade reconciliation and risk management. I returned in a similar team but focused more upon corporate action risk support. 

What extra-curricular activities were you involved with during your time here?

I was involved in a variety of societies, including: Netball, Fresher's week rep, the Entrepreneurial Society, and the Economic Society.

"Networking is key – at university you will meet so many interesting people who will go on to work for the top companies in the world. Try to keep up with these connections as you never know if they will open up opportunities for you in the future."

The future

How do you see future technologies and new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

Technology is having a huge impact on the financial sector. Clients want straight through processing – from trade orders all the way to settlement. It’s absolutely essential to improve technology to stay competitive in this industry. 

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

I hope to be still having a successful career at Goldman Sachs – I’d like to think I’d be managing a team and helping to grow the business. 

Current job: Venture Capital Analyst at Shaper Impact

Current location: London

Nationality: Bulgarian

Graduation year: 2018

LinkedIn: Simeon Ivanov

Simeon's career

Since graduating, what have you gone on to do?

I joined FDM Group shortly after I graduated from Newcastle University. My work started with seven weeks of training that prepared me for my first client placement. This placement was with the Department of Work and Pensions where I was helping them with a rollout of a new system and change of their old devices. I then went on my second placement.

I have been in my new role as a Venture Capital Analyst at Shaper Impact since mid-2020. 

Is the above what you planned to before starting university?

Yes. It was one of the target careers for me. Being a Consultant allowed me to implement all of my knowledge about Economics and Business Management.

Simeon's Newcastle experience

What was your favourite thing about your course?

I enjoyed the diversity of modules and the practical experience.

Did you complete a placement year/year abroad/summer internship during your time at Newcastle?

At the end of my second year at university, I did a summer internship on the Global Experience Opportunity (GEO) programme. My placement was in Xiamen, China with Amoysen. It was an interesting experience where I was able to learn more about other cultures and how to efficiently work in a cross cultural environment.

Additionally, during the Easter vacation of my third year, I undertook an internship in the biggest Asset Management company in Bulgaria. That was an interesting experience, because as an Economist it was the perfect fit. My duties were to follow the move of the overall market and provide advice on what is expected to happen in the world in the following day and what reactions should be expected from the market.

What extra-curricular activities or societies were you involved with during your time here?

During the three years of my degree I was a class representative for my course, which allowed me to become Chair of the Student Staff Committee for Economics in my second year. I was also part of the society NCL Capital Partners (a student-led hedge fund) where I took the position of Equity Analyst in my Second Year and Head of Managed Features in my third year.

"Try everything you can, otherwise it will be hard for you to find the place that you feel most comfortable."

The future

How do you see future technologies or new ways of working (future of work) affecting your sector?

As a previous Business Consultant in the field of technology, I can see that the new technologies are going to continue to enhance our work and make it more and more efficient. It will also show us new ways of working; it will create many new businesses and ways to enhance our lives.

When it comes to my sector of work, it will only improve with new technologies and it will create more potential work opportunities for me. As the new technology will have to be amended and then implemented with the current system. That will create a lot of interesting projects when it comes to utilisation of the future technology.

Where do you see yourself in five years' time?

My future career plan is to move into Venture Capital, Wealth Management or continue on to peruse a career as a Project / Program Manager.