Aidana Abisheva Utegenova
BEconSc (Hons) in Economics (2012)
Aidana is Deputy Head of Middle Office Treasury at Eurasian Resources Group.
My current role and how I got there
My current role involves supporting Group efforts in attracting new financing and refinancing the existing credit portfolio, overseeing and supporting the process of compliance with credit documentation limitations and covenants across the Group as well as leading the process of the Group’s audit in terms of middle office treasury and credit portfolio matters.
After I finished high school in Kazakhstan, I was awarded a Governmental scholarship Bolashak to pursue a bachelor’s degree at any of the world’s top universities. I chose this particular course at The University of Manchester because it had a more technical emphasis with compulsory modules in Statistics and Econometrics but also enabled me to choose applied courses from the School of Social Sciences and Manchester Business School, thereby determining my career specialization.
After my first year at the University, I had a chance to intern at a small private equity boutique firm back in Kazakhstan. This internship mostly influenced the choice of my career path in finance and investments in particular. To further my newly gained knowledge and skills, I became a member of the Manchester University Trading and Investment Society (MUTIS). Membership in this largest university business and finance student society provided an opportunity to visit guest lectures, participate in trading simulations and meet like-minded students.
My experience at Manchester
I would say that nearly all of the courses that I took both at the School of Social Sciences and MBS were of practical nature. The classes of the BEconSc programme were of a really high calibre, and all of my fellow programme mates graduated with high-end marks and received job offers at top UK and overseas investment banks, finance companies and corporations. Being part of this ambitious and hungry-for-knowledge group of young people always kept me motivated and competitive in a good way.
Statistics and Econometrics courses provided me with hands-on experience of financial data analysis, including using software such as SPSS and E-views along with standard Excel-based tools. I used these skills in practice during my very first job with the National Investment Corporation by running various analyses to determine the optimum allocation of assets which we had under management (Central Bank’s gold reserves).
My advice for future students
I would advise them to enjoy the vibrant and multicultural environment of the university and the city, make good connections, expand their networks by attending student societies and try to absorb all the knowledge and information that this course provides. And to use the University’s Careers Service as they will get amazing support from the officers on their CV, cover letters to future employers and reference letters from professors.