Graduate Case Studies - Morgan French -Deutsche Bank - Foreign Exchange
Morgan French
Age: 22
Degree: Master's in Physics, 2.1, Cambridge University
Year of graduation: 2006
Occupation: Analyst in complex risks trading (foreign exchange) at Deutsche Bank
What do you do in your job?
After I joined the bank in July last year, I had two months of classroom training, followed by four months of rotating through different business areas. At the end of that, recruits get matched up to a permanent position that suits their interests and skills. So at the end of January, I was placed in the foreign exchange department - specifically in complex risks trading. In my rotation placement here, I'd learned how to price the complex products that we trade, and had been taught about the foreign exchange market generally. In particular, I was given the opportunity to trade currency and experience making and losing money, which is an important part of trading. Now, when a price request comes in from the sales team at the bank, it's my job to price up the products and work out how much money we'll take out of the transaction - looking at the level of risk involved. I also do a small amount of trading.
What was your motivation in applying?
I wanted an opportunity to work in markets because I like the way they are news-driven and an integral part of the story of the world. I was also attracted to the fast pace of trading and the fact that everything can change in an instant. Finally, I wanted the opportunity to use the skills I'd learned in my degree - such as analysis, problem-solving and maths - in a financial context. Deutsche Bank appealed because it's well known as a trading bank and has a fantastic reputation.
What did the application process involve?
Initially, there was an online application with questions such as "Why investment banking?" and "Why do you think you'd be good at it?" Then there were two interviews and a maths and verbal reasoning test. Following that, there were another three interviews, which were much more
technical and focused on what I knew
rather than who I was.
What do you enjoy about your job?
The people I work with and the opportunity to take on a large amount of responsibility very early in my career. It's great to be trusted to do important jobs, and that my views on things are seen to really matter.
Most challenging part of your job?
The fact that there is no room for mistakes, even minor errors, because they can be so costly. So you have to maintain extremely high attention to detail all the time.
Advice to readers considering a career in your field?
Apply for an internship. Not only do recruiters rate them highly, but they're also beneficial in ensuring you have a good idea of what the banking environment really involves. They're useful for when you actually do the job later on, too.
Send to a friend
Post a comment
Comments
No comments....
Graduate Employers
| Aspen Re | The Aspen Group is a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance c... | more |
| VT Group | VT Group has been operating a successful graduate scheme since 200... | more |
| Ernst & Young | Ernst & Young has 114,000 people, in 700 locations across 140 coun... | more |
| Deutsche Bank | Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a strong an... | more |
| Scottish Investment Operations | SIO is a professional body representing major employers in the Sco... | more |
| ESCP-EAP | Founded in 1819, ESCP-EAP is one of the world's oldest business sc... | more |
| eFinancialCareers | The interactive Student Centre on eFinancialCareers.com is for stu... | more |
| Bank of America | Bank of America serves clients in 175 countries and has relationsh... | more |
| Citi | Citi, the leading global financial services company, does business... | more |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) is the one firm for all talented ... | more |
Latest Graduate Jobs
Graduate Case Studies
|
Allan Ferguson - Associate - Clydesdale BankI work within the Specialist & Acquisition Finance team in the Glasgow Financial Solutions Centre (a one-stop shop with access to a whole team of local banking specialists and credit facilities all in-house at one location). We are not so active in day-to-day relationship banking, but instead work on a deal by deal basis. For example, we provide funding for companies wishing to make acquisitions of other businesses, or for management teams wanting to buy out the shareholding of a departing owner. ... more |
|
Rhiannon McComb - Operations Trainee - Standard LifeI am a graduate trainee on the Investment Operations programme. The programme involves three, eight month placements and my previous role was in the Finance Department, where I worked in a business performance team learning about financial forecasting, budgeting and planning. I was also involved in several projects. ... more |
|
Stephen John Ratcliffe - Graduate Trainee - Standard LifeI circulate around the D&CS area every six months. Currently I am a Trainee Project Manager, working in the company’s Change Dept. In this role I am working on my own project, which is to analyse a certain area of the business, present the results, investigate and propose solutions, and finally to plan the implementation of the solution. It is an excellent opportunity - I have a lot of responsibility and get to liaise with many areas of the business. ... more |
|
Andrew J. Chrysostomou - Corporate Finance - RICSI work in the Corporate Finance team which sits within Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets Group. I specialise in raising finance for property investors to acquire commercial real estate. . ... more |
Graduate Advice
|
Think Before You Click - The Negative Side of Facebook The next time you’re about to upload pictures of your birthday party/night... more |
|
Nailing That Position- Top Tips for Getting Picked For Graduate Training Schemes If you’re currently stressing over applying for and going for interview... more |
|
Popular films based on the lives of prominent traders and stock brokers... more |
|
For those graduates with really outstanding mathematical skills and an... more |







Comments