Josh Voller

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GAM Investments

Quantitative Analyst (Trainee) – Equities and GAM Systematic |

Graduate

Why do you enjoy your job?

My department (I work within the Quantitative Analysis – Equities and GAM Systematic team) covers a wide range of tasks from producing market risk numbers and modelling risk to assisting with client requests and carrying out technical projects for fund managers. One of the best parts of my job is the exposure that I get to a wide variety of statistical techniques, funds, financial instruments and the methods used to model their price and risk. This, combined with the knowledge and experience of my team and their willingness to share this with me, means that every day I am learning something new.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

My role is very technical with lots of the tasks requiring an understanding of the underlying mathematical and statistical theory. While this is an area that I very much enjoy, it is also one of the most challenging parts of my job. Moreover, there is a high level of accuracy and attention to detail needed as the numbers I produce are looked at by both fund managers and clients.

How did you get into your job?

I graduated from Warwick University with a degree in Mathematics and had always been interested in working within investment management. The Investment20/20 scheme seemed like a good path into the ever more competitive industry. The scheme provides graduates with the opportunity to gain real experience, and this is one of the reasons I chose to apply towards the end of my final year at university. I applied to GAM because of the uniqueness of the role within a Quant department; with my background of mathematics, and desire to apply some of these skills in my job, the chance to come straight into a department like this was an opportunity that I didn’t want to miss.

What are your future aspirations?

It’s hard to say this early on exactly what my future aspirations are but staying on the quant side of the industry is definitely what I am interested in, and so I want to keep learning as much as possible and developing my skills and see where it takes me!

How would you sum up your Investment20/20 experience?

My Investment20/20 experience has been extremely positive and I believe that it is a great way to build a strong platform for a successful career within investment management. The events that Investment20/20 organises help to give insight into different parts of the industry you may not see day to day and also provide a chance to network with others from a variety of firms. This, combined with the support from my colleagues at GAM, has allowed me to hopefully kick-start my career.