Namit Garg

Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford

“Quantitative decision-maker blending rigorous analytics with real-world impact across finance, pricing, and strategy.”

Hometown: New Delhi, India

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a national level Pickleball player.

Undergraduate School and Major: Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur with a major in Mathematics and statistics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Patronus Research LLP and title was Quant researcher

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? The defining factor for me was Oxford Saïd’s emphasis on decision-making under uncertainty, combining rigorous analytics with judgement and ethics. Coming from a quantitative background, I wanted an MBA that didn’t just teach tools, but challenged how leaders use data responsibly in complex, real-world contexts. Oxford’s strengths in applied analytics, finance, and its integration with wider university research made it uniquely suited to help me bridge deep quantitative work with thoughtful, high-impact leadership.

What course, club, or activity has been your favorite part of the Oxford Saïd MBA experience?  The CapitOx Society has been the highlight of my MBA experience. Working on an equity long-short strategy allowed me to apply my quantitative skills to UK markets in a fundamentally different context from my prior work. It was especially rewarding to collaborate with classmates from diverse backgrounds, test ideas in a live investment setting, and translate data-driven insights into real portfolio decisions—bringing together learning, teamwork, and practical impact.

What is the most “Oxford” thing you have done so far as a full-time MBA student? Leaving a quantitative finance discussion at Oxford Saïd to attend an evening talk in an Oxford college hall that’s hosted thinkers for centuries. Sitting under portraits and traditions far older than modern finance – and debating uncertainty, ethics, and leadership with classmates from across disciplines – has been a uniquely Oxford experience. It is one that constantly reminds me to place data and models within a much broader human context.

Oxford is known as a place where world collides, 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? One of my most interesting interactions was during a college dinner, where I found myself discussing market efficiency with a philosopher and public-sector reform with a former diplomat. Coming from a quantitative finance background, it was eye-opening to see how differently equally intelligent people frame problems—challenging my instinct to look for optimisation and instead consider values, incentives, and human context. That collision of perspectives is something I’ve only experienced at Oxford.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Earning a 100th percentile in the CAT exam was a defining accomplishment for me. Competing against over a million candidates, it reflected years of disciplined preparation, problem-solving under pressure, and consistency—skills that later translated directly into my work in quantitative finance and decision-making roles.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? Serving as the Academic Officer for our MBA class has been my most meaningful accomplishment so far. I organised peer-led support sessions where classmates could learn from one another and openly work through difficult concepts. Hearing people say they performed better in exams because of those sessions was incredibly fulfilling—it showed me the impact of creating an environment where everyone can succeed together.

Oxford Saïd is considered a mission-driven MBA program. What social issue resonates most with you? How do you plan to use your career path to address this issue? The social issue that resonates most with me is how economic volatility disproportionately affects people with the least ability to absorb risk. Working in quantitative finance, I saw firsthand how sudden shocks—market stress, liquidity events, or abrupt repricing—can wipe out livelihoods for small investors, merchants, or households – even when the underlying systems are functioning “as designed.”

This experience shaped my desire to work in roles where quantitative models influence real access—pricing, insurance, or payments—rather than only trading outcomes. Through my career, I want to help build financial systems that are resilient in stress, not just efficient in normal conditions, so that uncertainty does not translate into exclusion or instability for those already operating on thin margins. Oxford Saïd’s emphasis on responsibility and long-term impact has reinforced my belief that finance should ultimately reduce vulnerability, not amplify it.

DON’T MISS: MEET OXFORD SAÏD’S MBA CLASS OF 2026

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.