- CEO of Vulture Group
- BA African Studies, 1994
David Brady graduated in 1994 with a 2:1 in African Studies. He is now the CEO of a marketing technology company he started in 2006.
Why did you choose to study at Birmingham?
“I arrived late into the normal process having struggled to find a subject I was passionate about. I took a year out from A-Levels and spent several months working on a development project in Togo West Africa before being given some information about the African Studies course.
“I looked at both SOAS in London and the Centre for West African Studies at Birmingham I preferred Birmingham because it offered a very intimate learning environment and its specialisation on West Africa was a win for me after my time in Togo. I also chose Birmingham because of the intimacy and calibre of the staff.
“Admission was a challenge - I had a bad grade in economics. But I really wanted the place and so buckled down to study, getting tips from every smart person I knew, until I got the B I needed and was accepted! That experience was to have a lasting effect on everything I did and still do.”
What was your favourite thing you learnt or studied at Birmingham and why?
“I was terrible at languages and we studied Yoruba. I found it very difficult but I still remember my Yoruba greetings and this never fails to delight anyone from Nigeria when I meet them. I also loved politics, literature and history, but really the whole course was just so amazing. It was a great privilege to study there and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.
“I was also very interested in some of the economics we studied as part of the course and I decided to do my dissertation on the IMF, World Bank and Structural Adjustment Policy affects the debt of the Third World. It certainly gave me an appreciation for some of the economic trials the world is faced with today.
What are your favourite memories from your time at Birmingham?
“I really liked our first year in which we had a house on campus. It was really an unusual experience. We learned a lot there and had some amazing parties where we cooked African food and brought in African bands to play for us - a unique experience. I loved studying with the great people and amazing but sometimes highly eccentric tutors at Birmingham. I also met my wife at University – a French exchange student studying English Literature!”
What is your job and what do you enjoy most about your role?
“I am the CEO of a marketing technology company I started with friends back in 2006. Today we employ 35 people and have offices in London, New York and Sydney.
“When I left university, I wanted some business experience. I worked in marketing while studying at Birmingham, so studying with the Chartered Institute of Marketing following my degree was a reasonable segway. Although I haven’t been involved in anything African studies related recently, we do support related charities as a business and I am seeking to recreate something like the development project I experienced in Togo before studying at Birmingham.
“The best thing about my role is the freedom to express myself fully, creativity, and the ability to work with some amazing people. I love having an idea, executing it, and learning something new – I am very grateful to have that ability.”
How did your studies at Birmingham help to prepare you for the working world?
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do after graduation, but the experience gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of interests. I found that when faced with interviews I was actually very rounded and my degree helped to differentiate me from other candidates.
“Whilst the subject matter of my work may be unrelated to my degree, I strongly believe the experience at Birmingham gave me all of the attributes I needed to succeed as an entrepreneur – I studied with some great people, and I was focused on learning as much as possible about a subject I was passionate about.
“Because I had to work hard for my place at Birmingham, I gained the confidence to go after what I wanted and created the work ethic necessary to eventually build my own business.”
What advice do you have for prospective students thinking of studying at Birmingham?
“The University of Birmingham is an amazing place to study, filled with everything a student could want. I loved it, and you will too. Go there with a positive attitude, believe in yourself, and take advantage of every opportunity and every experience. You are about to embark on some of the most memorable years of your life.
“And if you don’t have a career in mind then study something you love and the rest will fall in to place. And appreciate every moment of it. I believe I followed that advice.”