Career Journeys

Location: LondonTime at Shell: Ten years

Degree: Physical Geography, Durham University

“I joined as a fast-track graduate in finance. So, for the first three years I worked in different parts of finance and completed my CIMA  (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) qualification. Then, I spent two years in Singapore and took my Corporate Treasury exam.

Singapore was very positive for me and on the back of that was offered a role in Trading. In 2006, I came back to London and started working on the execution desk and then moved to the distillates desk. Around 80% of my trades are paper and the remainder are physical.  I liked working in Finance. But Trading is exhilarating – It’s a better fit for me.

I didn’t think I’d be able to join Trading because of my degree. I also lacked confidence. I was worried about spending an eternity in the back office. I didn’t want to be siloed. Some employers look for graduates with degrees in finance or economics.

Shell Trading is more open-minded. I’m the only Trader here with a background in corporate finance. I have insight into the bond markets that others might not. I like to think that makes me valuable to my team.

I think I’ve been trained well. There’s a wide range of internal and external courses you can take. But the best training I’ve had is on the desk. A new trader always gets a teacher who helps you. In other places, you may get a mentor who’s too focused on his or her own profit and loss, and not on the team’s success. At Shell Trading, it’s the whole team that matters.

Good traders are highly motivated. They’re also intelligent. Being clever just isn’t enough. You have to be able to see where new things are coming from. You need guts, and the ability to hold your nerve. Sometimes, when you take a position, there will be losses to ride out and you must believe in your decisions.

Staying flexible and focused is a challenge. Once, I got some good advice from another trader; it’s not how good you are at making money, but how good you are when you’re losing it.”