Meet the MBA Class of 2024: Peter Erskine, University of Oxford (Saïd) by: Jeff Schmitt on July 29, 2024 | 545 Views July 29, 2024 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit Peter Erskine University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School “A Belfast born, slightly American sounding, lover of numbers, politics and all things music.” Hometown: Belfast, Northern Ireland Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a classically trained singer. Undergraduate School and Major: University of Chicago – BA Hons in Political Science Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Trader – Chicago Trading Company (Chicago/London) Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Oxford Saïd’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Oxford’s one year program was a major draw from me. It gives you the same amount of academic exposure, which means you only have to take one year out of industry. Furthermore, several of the core modules are assessed through what SBS calls the Integrated module. which allows you to apply the concepts from your first three courses (Accounting, Technology & Operations and Marketing) to one assessed case. For us, this was Formula E. SBS brought in the CFO of Formula E as well as several other executives and we applied what we had learned to a real life case. This method of teaching is incredibly important to me as it allows me to learn how to quickly apply what I’ve learnt. This is vital when you don’t have the additional twelve months that other business schools do. SBS makes sure to make the most of the 12 months you have. What course, club, or activity has been your favorite part of the Oxford Saïd MBA experience? Saïd provides each of the MBA students with lifetime membership to The Oxford Union, the university’s debate society founded in 1823. Each year, The Oxford Union invites academics, politicians, celebrities to debate and speak to its members. Since my time at Oxford, I’ve been able to attend debates and events featuring former US Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Camille Vasquez, Geri Haliwell, Caster Semenya, Sir Roger Penrose, Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, Stefano Domenicalli and best of all, Tom Hanks. These, often off the record events, allow us to engage with some of societies most influential people in a direct way. It is truly an incredible experience that Saïd helps facilitate. Plus, it has one of the most beautiful libraries at Oxford to study in. What is the most “Oxford” thing you have done so far as a full-time MBA student? It has to be either going to a formal dinner in Christ Church, the setting for the Hogwarts dining hall, or joining Exeter College Choir and singing in three choral evensongs a week. Oxford is known as a place where worlds collide, be it in the classroom or the dining hall. What has been the most interesting interaction you’ve had so far as an Oxford MBA student? It is truly hard to pick one. The great thing about the college system at Oxford is that you are able to connect with students outside of the Business School. During my first week, I was sat at a formal dinner next to a first year Doctoral student studying epidemiology and disease control who had spent the last three years working as a Research Assistant for the people who made one of the COVID vaccines. Just being able to speak with someone who has had such an impact on the world, at such a young age, was incredibly humbling and awe-inspiring. I’ve also met former Olympic gold medalists, people who own their own companies, influencers and there are countless other examples I could describe. Describe the biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As an interest rates options market maker, navigating the markets during COVID was an extreme challenge. During part of the pandemic, I was tasked with managing one of the firm’s largest books independently during European trading hours to support my colleagues in Chicago. It was extremely rewarding to single-handedly run a book that is typically staffed by eight people and navigate emergency central bank rate cuts, extreme volatility and a huge upspike in market volume – all while keeping risk limits in check and maintaining PnL targets. Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Being elected as Communications Chair for the Class of 2024 was a great honour. It has been a fanastic honor of having the trust of my classmates to be responsible for and take care of keeping the class informed of the hundreds of opportunities at Oxford and be the point of contact for our class. It has taught me a lot about myself and given me new skills while improving amd building on my existing skill set. What has been the biggest epiphany you’ve gained about yourself or the world since you started your MBA program? Having only really every worked in quantitative finance, I came to the MBA to explore other potential interests and opportunities that the world may provide. I’ve always believed I was a numbers guy with an inherent love of politics. As I’ve been exploring the opportunities that Saïd has given me – from the Luxury Marketing Club to the Business in Sports Club – I’ve come to the realization that I want to do something much more creative in my career. I’ve discovered a creative side to me that I hadn’t really explored since high school. In addition to that, the MBA has further cemented that I want a career and a future that has an impact on society and the world around me, to do something that helps people and does some good in the world. Saïd has given me the tools and experiences to help me achieve that. DON’T MISS: MEET OXFORD SAÏD’S MBA CLASS OF 2024