{"id":39173,"date":"2025-04-22T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/uncover-ie\/?p=39173"},"modified":"2026-03-24T19:34:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T18:34:56","slug":"global-markets-finance-career-advice-master-in-finance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/uncover-ie\/global-markets-finance-career-advice-master-in-finance\/","title":{"rendered":"Global markets & finance: Career advice from Neil Greenberg"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/span> 5<\/span> min read<\/span><\/span>\n

Neil Greenberg is a North-Carolina native who dreamt of working in global markets & finance. He had plenty of experience and a great CV. But that wasn’t enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s talk about his journey\u2014and how the Master in Finance<\/a> at IE Business School<\/a> helped him land his dream role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why choose to live in Spain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Neil landed on his feet after his undergraduate business degree: “I started working at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Charlotte. It\u2019s where I\u2019m from. I spent about 4.5 years there and was kind of burnt out by 25. It’s a very grind-oriented culture in the U.S.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neil felt he still had personal goals to pursue and looked to broaden his horizons. “I was in Argentina for about 8 months during my first degree,” Neil says. “And that time period really inspired my whole international career and my journey in learning Spanish.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I ended up teaching English here in Madrid<\/a> for about three years,” Neil explains. “And during that time, I realized I wanted to stay here. So I started taking my CFA exams at the same time. Pretty soon I was a CFA charterholder<\/a>. I had some work experience in an international bank and trading. People were like, that\u2019s fantastic. But if you want to work here in Madrid, you need a master\u2019s in finance.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With plenty of options to study finance in Madrid, he ultimately chose IE Business School: “Everyone kept saying IE.”<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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This was due to the school’s global reputation, with a diverse student-body offering invaluable insights and an international network. It also uses a unique, hands-on approach to learning\u2014the faculty consists of true professionals who have experience working at the top level of their respective fields. This has given IE Business School<\/a> a stellar reputation throughout and beyond the Spanish capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where can the Master in Finance take you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“I went into the master\u2019s program thinking my incremental knowledge would be minimal and that it would be just a means to an end,” Neil admits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Neil found the program eye-opening from the outset: “It really honed my technical skills, especially when it comes to derivatives. I came from a derivatives background, so I had the basics down. But when I did the master\u2019s program, the specialized courses really drilled down on the technical aspects of finance. The classes really took my knowledge and understanding to another level.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With a range of hands-on experiences and technical classes, Neil gained the knowledge and personal growth necessary for a rewarding career in global markets & finance.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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“It made me realize how much I still don\u2019t know. That\u2019s a great feeling because, first, you’re getting your money’s worth. Second, you\u2019re actually becoming more engaged\u2014you\u2019re becoming more curious and passionate about financial markets and derivatives. That\u2019s what you pay for; the real value is you\u2019re unlocking something that was always there or, in my case, maybe I was too prideful to admit that I didn\u2019t know.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neil was also able to personalize his learning to his career goals. “I chose the Global Markets & Asset Management track,” he explains. “I knew that\u2019s where I wanted to end up. I came from a global markets background, and I had done the CFA<\/a>, which is heavily geared towards asset management. So it was great to formally combine the two.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you customize your finance degree at IE Business School?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Master in Finance<\/a> program provides essential expertise in financial markets, with a focus on contemporary trends like sustainability, technology and AI. But its strength lies in adaptability. When studying with us, you can choose to focus on one of three specialization tracks: Investment Banking & Private Equity, Global Markets & Asset Management, or Real Estate & Alternative Investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile I respect the profession, the culture surrounding investment banking didn\u2019t appeal to me at all,” says Neil while explaining his choice. “I work in financial markets now\u2014for which this track gave me essential knowledge. Our day-to-day is intense because markets are constant; they’re constantly moving, so you’re consistently busy. But you know there’s a hard stop. Thanks to the track, I have much more technical capability and knowledge\u2014which also elevated my soft skills. For example, when speaking to a client about derivatives, you\u2019re much more relaxed because you know your stuff. And that\u2019s what clients want when speaking to someone advising them on money or real transactions\u2014they don\u2019t want someone who\u2019s unsure. They want someone who can confidently guide them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neil was particularly fascinated by the depth of derivatives, which has been essential for his career: “Before, I knew the basic Greeks. The first two main derivatives are Delta and Gamma. Everybody knows those, or at least you should. Then, coming out of the master\u2019s program, I learned about four more different types of derivatives. You learn about Vega, Theta, Charm\u2014your brain just expands. You get more curious, and your professors inspire that latent curiosity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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