23/11/2007
Student Spotlight: Bernhard Silli Recounts his Path from the Classrooms of the Ciutadella Campus to the Trading Desks of the Goldman Sachs Quant Group
When Bernhard Silli entered the UPF Msc in Finance in 2004, now offered in conjunction with the Barcelona GSE, he sought to deepen his theoretical knowledge and broaden his repertoire of analytical tools in finance. Looking back, he sees that he chose the right program.
Currently in the last year of his PhD in Finance in the Financial Markets Group at the London School of Economics, this past summer Bernhard had an intense and eye-opening internship experience in Quantitative Equity Trading at Goldman Sachs International in London.
With hindsight, says Bernhard, “The MSc in Finance prepared me well for the job in that it gave me basic intuition on how financial markets work. The program also got me up to speed on the more technical side of finance and economics, which is essential, irrespective of whether you stay in academia or move on into the private or public sector. Most importantly though, the interaction with my professors and colleagues in Barcelona initially sparked my interest in financial economics”.
Preparation + Opportunity = Success
Bernhard enrolled in the Msc in Finance after obtaining an Msc in Economics at the University of Warwick and a BSc in Economics and Economic History at the London School of Economics.
After looking at various programs throughout Europe and the US, he opted for the Graduate Program in Economics, Finance, and Management (GPEFM) at the UPF, which now offers its Msc in Economics and Msc in Finance jointly with the Barcelona GSE. He says, “the program had been recommended to me by former students and professors alike. The faculty itself provides expertise in a large number of fields of economics and finance. The program is very intense and high quality, giving students a lot of freedom to tailor their coursework and conduct research in their fields of interest”.
Among his secondary reasons for choosing the Msc in Finance, says Bernhard, was the program’s “relatively small size, which leaves enough space for interaction with professors and other students. Besides that, Barcelona is a great place to live in”. While enrolled in the master program, Bernhard was able to conduct research with Barcelona GSE Affiliated Professors Walter García-Fontes and Hans-Joachim Voth, Director of the Msc in International Trade, Finance, and Development.
Behind the Trading Desks
Working at Goldman Sachs provided Bernhard with the opportunity to test his ability to join theory and practice in one of the most intense environments in finance. He was placed in Quantitative Equity Trading, where he worked on a project that required him to apply financial knowledge and statistical techniques, many of which he picked up in his coursework and research in the Msc in Finance.
Describing his job, Bernhard says, “Put simply, quantitative trading relies on computer models to make investment decisions. The general idea behind these algorithms is to scan and aggregate information that has been shown to create profitable trading opportunities in the past and to extrapolate them into the future. Of course, the exact natures of these strategies are some of the most highly guarded secrets on the street”.
“Nothing is more motivating than the feeling that you have done something of value”
Based on his experience, Bernhard emphasises that a key element to work in the industry is a strong understanding of the connection between theory and practice- something he learned in the Msc in Finance. As he says, “New ideas in academia will quickly be picked up by the industry and tested for their robustness and potential to generate profits”.
At the conclusion of his internship, Bernhard was offered a full time position in the Quantitative Trading Group of Goldman Sachs, to begin in 2008 after completing his PhD. This affirmation of his performance bolstered his feeling that “not only did I get most out of my ten weeks at Goldman Sachs, but I was also able to contribute to the success of the desk. Nothing is more motivating for me than the feeling that you have done something of value”. Related Content Barcelona GSE internships and career placement More student profiles Information about the Msc in International Trade, Finance, and Development | « Back | | 
| | | Msc in Finance graduate and PhD candidate Bernhard Silli says that the master program "offers a great preparation for a very broad spectrum of jobs". | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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