Ye Wu is now a Senior Data Analyst at FARFETCH in Shanghai, working in data within one of the best-known global platforms in online luxury fashion. FARFETCH is a luxury fashion marketplace founded in 2007 that connects customers with products from brands, boutiques, and retailers around the world, operating internationally through its website and app.
Ye began her academic journey with a double major in accounting and Spanish. During her undergraduate studies, she also took several courses related to marketing and data analytics, and those subjects stood out to her straight away. When she started searching for a master’s degree that could match her interests, she focused on programs that would allow her to move beyond accounting and into analytics in a practical, career-focused way.
A new path into analytics
Discovering her interest in marketing and analytics came at exactly the right time. Ye had already started thinking about shifting out of accounting, and she felt analytics was the best long-term direction. Big data was also becoming a trending topic, and she wanted to understand where the field was going.
“I wanted to know what was going on there because, while I only knew of the concept, I thought it really was the future,” Ye explained.
Ye explored different options, but the Master in Business Analytics & Data Science* stood out as the one that aligned most closely with both sides of her interest. What attracted her was the combination of analytics skills and a clear introduction to the big data ecosystem, helping students understand both how to work with data and how the wider environment functions inside modern companies.
Building confidence from the ground up
Ye described the master’s experience as valuable across multiple areas, from gaining new programming skills to exploring big data more deeply, as well as the personal connections she built with classmates along the way. She also enjoyed life in Madrid and used the time to meet new people, experience different cultures, and fully immerse herself in student life.
One moment that stood out to her most was studying SQL. Ye valued the professor’s perspective and the message he shared with the class: what mattered most was finding what you enjoyed and being willing to work hard for it.
Coming from an accounting background, Ye said she started with very little programming knowledge. But that fear eased quickly once she saw the teaching approach. She explained that professors built foundations first before moving into advanced topics, and she felt supported through the process. Over time, Ye’s skills grew rapidly. She even became the number two student in her class.
Turning academic wins into career momentum
Ye also remembered a project from her marketing intelligence class, where the objective was to solve a real business problem using datasets provided by a real company. The goal was to develop actionable insights and predict customer behavior, using data to move from observation to decision-making.
Despite the project being new territory, Ye’s strong relationship with numbers helped her push through the challenge, and she finished in second place in her class again. The momentum continued when the top student invited Ye to co-author an article about their work for a leading data-related publication. Their collaboration earned silver recognition for their innovative models.
Reflecting on that journey, Ye said, “I think my career shows how much the Master in Business Analytics and Data Science has impacted my life.”
“The Master in Business Analytics and Data Science led me to challenge myself and I’m really proud of how far I’ve come.”
From the classroom to FARFETCH
After completing the program, Ye moved into the professional world and began applying the confidence and teamwork skills she developed during the master’s. She later began working in Shanghai as a Senior Data Analyst at FARFETCH, bringing her analytics training into a global business environment.
For Ye, the program experience included both challenge and growth—from struggling early on with programming concepts, to pushing through pressure before presentations, to achieving awards and published work.
She described that progress as something that helped her build real confidence in herself and how she contributed to teams, skills she continued using in her day-to-day role.
To future students, her advice stayed simple:
“Go ahead; it’s a really good experience.”
She also encouraged students to take advantage of opportunities beyond the classroom by engaging with the wider IE community. “Get out, meet people and experience Madrid; enjoy the whole package.”
*During Ye Wu’s time of study, the program was called Master in Business Analytics & Big Data.
