Coming to the MiF from a non-finance background

Viviana Loriato MiF by Viviana Loriato, MiFFT2020 

Although the Masters in Finance (MiF) at LBS is designed for finance professionals, there are a handful of us not working directly in finance but still benefiting from the programme as our jobs require us to have a strong finance skillset. I have worked within Corporate Strategy and Intelligence for my whole career and always used finance concepts such as:

  • How to prioritise projects and measure their financial impact.
  • How to best evaluate competitors, clients, and suppliers, not only through the potential of their operations but also analysing their financial health.
  • What direction is a specific market going? What trends will probably affect it in the near future?

I realised I had already had a good exposure to Business and Strategy challenges, but I really wanted to strengthen my competencies in finance. After researching finance courses around the world, I found out that the programme at LBS is not only ranked number #1 by the Financial Times but is also a post-experience programme, which was perfect given my several years of experience.

I then devoted time in my very busy life, where I was managing a team in an energy giant in Brazil, to prepare my application. It was a great time to reflect on where I was in my career and where I wanted to go. I was sure that wherever I would go, the new competencies in finance would make me feel more fulfilled as a professional.

As soon as the MiF started, I realised that there are extra challenges for people who have not worked directly in finance before. Although everything is new for me, it means I’m learning constantly and I’m trying to make the most of everything. Having completed the core courses, I have already drastically improved my core financial knowledge. For example:

  • In Investments, I have learned new concepts about financial markets and I have learned many different ways to compare investments based on time value of money.
  • In Data Analytics, I have gained insights into how I could improve the forecasts I have been developing in my job before the MiF.
  • In Accounting, I have reviewed concepts in a much deeper way and learned how to choose the best ratios to analyse a company.
  • In Corporate Finance, I have strengthened concepts in valuation, leverage, and WACC calculation and learned how to better balance the interests of the shareholders, creditors and management of a company.

Now, I am starting the electives and I’m really happy to be able to choose many different subjects among finance, strategy and soft skills.

Two things that have surprised me since joining LBS is the level of career support and the importance of Clubs in the life of a student. I am also the MiF representative on the LBS Students Association Executive and in this group,  I realised how the students also represent an important role in building this School and the future of this community.

I am convinced this experience is changing my life forever and I am very happy to share more of my experience, challenges and learning with anyone who is thinking about applying to the MiF.

 

Would you like to know if your experience is a good fit for the MiF? You can submit your CV for review by the MiF Admissions Team here.

 

 

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