What and where did you study before your Mountbatten internship?

BSc Business Studies with Marketing Management at the University of Salford, and MSc International Business.

What made you apply for the Mountbatten program?

My Sister Rajminder completed the program in 2003 and loved it.  She recognised that I would enjoy being pushed out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to apply for the program.

Describe your sponsor company and your role within it.

Goldman Sachs, leading Investment Bank.  I was a Campus Recruitment Co-ordinator for the Technology Business.

What was the highlight/most memorable moment of your working experience during this year?

Working at Goldman Sachs.  Interestingly, I didn’t know who they were or anything about an Investment Bank.  I felt completely out of my depth walking down Wall Street in NYC and into their impressive offices initially, but soon felt right at home and embraced every opportunity presented to me.

I wanted to immerse myself into the team, into the organisation and learn as much as possible.  I saw this as a platform to help drive my career forward and was happy to work hard and give it my all.

What was the social highlight/most memorable moment during this year?

Nights out at Dorian’s in Newport were fun, but to be honest, I didn’t get much time to socialise other than at the weekends.  I loved exploring NYC and loved joining fellow MB’s for trips, one of the best was to Puerto Rico!

Please share a little wisdom/philosophy that you acquired during your internship

As I had left a role at Barclays as a Team Manager of 15, the philosophy I applied to my year at GS was to be humble and embrace the ‘Small’ tasks.  I was completing administrative duties initially, but I adopted a positive attitude when completing them and did them well.  This built trust with my LM and broader team who could see my potential.  They began to give me more to work on which developed my skills and broadened the experience I had.

Upon reflection, what do you consider has been the biggest impact of your Mountbatten year?

This experience has without doubt shaped my career path.  I am so proud and privileged to work within Emerging Talent and wouldn’t have even known about this as a career option had I have not applied to MB and been fortunate enough to land the role with Goldman Sachs!  Upon completing the program, my LM was keen to retain me at the firm.  Visa implications didn’t allow me to stay in NYC, so I transitioned to their London office.  I stayed at GS for another 4 years before making the decision to relocate to the East Midlands due to personal circumstances.

What happened after completing the year – what did you do next?

I worked at GS as a Recruitment Coordinator initially, before being promoted to a Recruiter role soon after.  I stayed at GS London for 4 years before moving to the East Midlands.  Within 6 months of moving, I returned to London to assume a UK Head of Campus Recruitment role at a Consulting Firm.  I felt that the experience opened so many doors for me.  Having GS on the CV immediately shortlisted me for interviews!

 Where are you now in your working life and what do you do?

I am the Global Head of Emerging Talent for the Investment Banking arm of HSBC.  I am accountable for setting the Global Strategy and delivery of all Emerging Talent hiring for the business which includes (not limited to); graduates, apprentices, interns, MBA candidates and other in-scope audiences.

 Do you have any future that you would like to realise & what are they (career & social)?

I would like to work in an international office again.  Whilst working for HSBC, I’ve had the opportunity to work at several of our international offices including two short term assignments in Hong Kong.  Hopefully, I can get to work longer term in Asia or the Middle East as these are some of our growth markets.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

That I didn’t even know who GS were or what an Investment Bank was before I was short-listed for an interview with Goldman Sachs.  I am a first-generation university graduate who grew up in Manchester supporting my parents who ran a local newsagent, and I didn’t have access to mentors to help support my educational or career journey.

Is there any other information that you would like to be included?

Given the platform Mountbatten provided me, I was keen to recruit MB’s into my organisation when able.  What initially started as a few Interns joining my team has quickly expanded to include multiple teams.  I am very proud of the Mountbattens that have joined us, their work ethic, resilience, desire to build upon the opportunity provided, has been wonderful.