Nathan Siegrist
I was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland. I would describe myself as someone who’s very curious: I love learning new things. I think this is what has attracted me to finance, as there is always something new to learn, and it’s an exciting field that is always evolving.
I am also passionate about chess. Although I learned to play when I was a child, I only became obsessed with it two years ago. I now spend the majority of my free time not only playing, but also studying the various phases of the game. I plan on starting to compete in tournaments in 2024. I also enjoy football, traveling, reading, cooking, watching good movies and spending quality time with my loved ones.
“Coming from a non-finance background and wanting to break into investment banking, I knew that I would need to study a really good and practical master’s to acquire the necessary technical and soft skills.”
A practical approach to finance in a diverse, exciting city
Following his passions has been a constant theme for Nathan Siegrist: whether chess or finance, he applies himself 100% to whatever he studies. After graduating from the Geneva School of Business Administration in 2023 with a B.Sc. in business administration, majoring in banking in finance, he moved briefly to London, where he continued his studies at Regent’s University. It was this experience which reinforced his ambition to work in finance.
Coming from a non-finance background—his previous work experience had been as a sales consultant for a telecoms and IT company—Nathan knew that to reach his goal of breaking into investment banking, he would need to study a practical program. While his undergraduate degree had given him solid theoretical foundations in banking and finance, he lacked the practical skills that would take his career further. This, he says, was one of the factors which prompted him to apply to IE University. “The Master in Finance at IE University is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world,” he points out, “and the learning methodology is very practical.”
There were five factors that Nathan took into consideration when choosing a suitable master’s degree: international experience and diversity; a hands-on approach; good career services; studying at a reputable business school, and finally, living in an exciting city. IE University’s Master in Finance ticked all the boxes. He was particularly impressed by the program’s use of case studies and real-life projects, which he feels “gives you a competitive advantage when applying to investment banking positions, and is also more enjoyable than purely theoretical degrees.”
Nathan describes his experience of the Master in Finance as “intense, but very exciting.” He particularly appreciates the fact that all the professors are experienced practitioners, so they’re able to pass on real-life knowledge to their students. Although the workload is heavy, with lots of assignments, group projects and exams, Nathan feels this hard work pays off, as he’s learned a lot in a short space of time. “The courses are really relevant to the finance industry and are up-to-date with current industry trends,” he notes.
“The Master in Finance is a highly competitive program, and all my peers are very smart and ambitious people.”
Balancing out this intense workload, though, is the experience of living in Madrid, which was also a major attraction for Nathan when choosing a master’s program. “I believe that it’s important to discover a new city and have fun when studying abroad,” he says, pointing out that he also wanted to meet new people from all over the world and build an international network, both of which he’s been able to achieve at IE University.
So what advice would Nathan give to others considering the Master in Finance? Firstly, he advises prospective students to be prepared for an intense program, but also to keep in mind that it will be very rewarding. “Think of it as a one-year investment for your future career,” he says. Also, he recommends taking every opportunity to network and meet new people—an ideal opportunity to do this is to join one of IE University’s many clubs and societies and to attend events in your area of interest.
Finally, Nathan emphasizes the importance of balancing study with extracurricular activities: he suggests making time for exploring Madrid, going out with friends, meeting people from other programs and doing things you enjoy. He concludes by saying that, as the Master in Finance is a one-year program, “time passes by really quickly, so you need to make the most of your time there.”
