Christopher Timms
Alumni
Please tell us about your current role and employer
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) is the Asset Management division of State Street Bank; a 230-year-old financial institution responsible for roughly 11.5% of the world's financial assets.
SSGA ranks as the 4th largest Asset Manager globally with £3.6 trillion under management.
What does a typical day in your current role look like?
My team and I are responsible for managing our largest and most strategically important clients, as well as all business development in the UK. We spend lots of time meeting clients and their advisors, presenting to large groups or attending events such as conferences.
Members of the team require a blend of technical, commercial and people skills (emotional intelligence). The role can be hugely demanding, but also incredibly rewarding and there is certainly never a dull day.
What was your journey to getting a job after graduating from Birmingham? (e.g. application process, visa considerations)
After graduating and doing a rather cliché but wonderful "gap year" tour of Australia, I gave serious consideration to joining the army, following in family footsteps of public service.
However, a contract position at Barclays Wealth in their ultra-high net worth and affluent team changed everything! After 6 months working between Canary Wharf and Mayfair I was hooked and never looked back.
Stints at FTSE and MSCI, two of the largest index providers in the world, led me to State Street where I have worked since 2016.
How do you feel the learning experience on your course helped to prepare you for your career?
Competitive sport, alongside the completion of an academically demanding course (UoB's program has an amazing global reputation, and it was always treated with the rigor of the traditional sciences) and a more than valiant attempt to maintain a social life, led to me being rounded, which I think prepared me well for the multi- faceted world of work!
What are your top tips for students graduating today?
Quotes:
- "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude"
- “The legacy you leave is more important than the one you take with you.”
Philosophy:
- Think in decades not days.
What were the best things about your course?
As you might imagine, many of the people I studied alongside at the School of Sports and Exercise Science, were amazing athletes, with national and international representation commonplace. I found that incredibly motivational.
I was a competitive swimmer and was proud to represent the University for three years, ending as Club Captain of the team and receiving blues for services to Sport and the Athletic Union.
What was your biggest achievement during your course? (personal, professional or academic)
UoB swim team medalled at the BUCS championships in the year I was captain which I was very proud of. This was a huge achievement against some of the better funded programs at Loughborough, Bath and Sterling etc.
The team has gone from strength to strength and the University's new sports facilities, including 50m pool, are exceptional!