International showcase for SBS MSc Risk Management student

SBS postgraduate Terence Dankyi was chosen from hundreds of applicants to take part in a prestigious London event on the future of work.

Deloitte Experience Analytics 2018 explored how technology can help deliver sustainable and impactful change to the workplace.

The MSc Risk Management student came through a challenging selection process to join the debate at Tobacco Dock and interviewed Deloitte’s UK Chief Economist Ian Stewart on stage.

“It was a bit nerve-wracking, as we had 120 senior executives in the audience, but I found our thoughts on topics such as the value of a university degree in business were quite similar,” says Terence. “I argued that students must also secure placements and internships during their studies to develop the skills that employers need and learn about the world of work.”

“Terence gave a brilliant account of himself on the day, describing his passion for education and his openness to new ideas,” says Dr Christine Currie, Associate Professor of Operational Research and Director of the Centre for Operational Research, Management Science and Information Systems (CORMSIS). “One of the high points of his time at the University of Southampton was getting to know a diverse international community and his career so far has been truly global in its reach. It’s always great to see a successful Southampton graduate!”

Innovators from Dell Technologies, Vodafone and AstraZenaca were also there on the day, discussing key topics such as data responsibility, artificial intelligence and how companies can become insight-driven organisations.

Yanika Borg, Deloitte’s plenary lead for the event says: “The Future of Work panel was one of our most popular sessions of the day. This is clearly an important topic for our clients and an important conversation to be having at the moment to understand the incoming work force’s priorities and outlooks.

“Terence worked with us from the start to steer and produce the content to be covered in the panel, from CSR to agile working to innovation. He was a pleasure to work with and on the day delivered a fantastic panel with Ian.”

Terence weighed his options carefully when deciding where to complete his education:

“Growing up in Ghana, I wanted to study overseas to gain new experiences and meet people from other countries. I chose Southampton because I wanted a qualification from a respected business school in a university known for the quality of its research.

“Risk management is a broad topic covering subjects in the social sciences including finance, economics, public policy and ethics. I felt it would be valuable in any future career.

“I enjoyed the challenge of postgraduate study, learning alongside international students from many different countries. Over the last year, I have made many friends and developed links with potential business partners.”

Following the taught element of his course, Terence signed up for two summer internships in Hampshire, one at a charity and the other at an arts organisation. He is now in Chicago on a placement with a start-up company, learning more about sales analytics.

His career ambitions are to work in consultancy combining data technology with human interactions, using the knowledge and skills he gained at Southampton Business School.

Watch Terence talk about his experience after the conference

Find out more about Southampton Business School

For queries about our analytics expertise email CORMSIS