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A second-year Finance and Investment student from ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Leicester (²ÝÁñÊÓƵ) is hoping to be named as one of the winners at this year’s targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards.

Eesaa Simat is one of ten students across the UK to secure a nomination for the Management Undergraduate of the Year award at this year’s ceremony, which set out to find the best undergraduates across 12 categories.

To receive his nomination, Eesaa had to navigate through an intensive application process, outlining why he felt he was a credible candidate in an initial application before completing three online assessments, a phone interview and a further assessment centre through Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

The 20-year-old from Leicester has already tasted success this year, having secured a year-long placement as an investment analyst at management consultants AON in Birmingham and is now excited by the prospect of winning a prestigious award.

Eesaa said: “I’m very proud of myself for getting this far because I’ve put in a lot of preparation and effort to showcase the best version of myself and that has been recognised with the nomination.

“It’s a huge achievement for me and just shows that no matter what background you come from, or which university you’re from, if you’re willing to put in the effort to improve yourself, doors will open for you.

"I am driven by a strong sense of competitiveness, and winning this award is a significant goal for me. If I were to be honoured with the award, I would certainly take a few days to celebrate with friends and family. However, my focus would quickly return to strategiseing and leveraging this achievement to propel my career forward."

Always eager to improve himself in any way he can, Eesaa is fuelled by his pursuit of knowledge and desire to make the most of any given opportunity, reflecting on the outcome no matter if it's positive or negative.

He has taken part in more than 60 interviews and assessment centres, including world-leading investment firm JP Morgan, taken part in the Bright Network Careers Festival and even secured an exclusive 45-minute chat with the chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates, Ray Dalio.

Looking at ways to improve his client-facing and sales abilities, Eesaa took on a sales representative role with EE, further demonstrating his commitment to learning and self-improvement.

His love of finance began in his teens with a desire to understand the flow of wealth and the value of accumulating large sums of money, particularly how individuals and organisations negotiate complex financial systems to achieve success.

And to improve his financial education and expertise, he works with 12 students from across the country to create a financial newsletter called Merton Finance Group. The newsletter aims to simplify the stories and encourage connections between financial and non-financial students.

Eesaa said: “At the age of 16, I embarked on a journey to deepen my understanding of finance, driven by a desire to comprehend the methodologies behind fund managers' success in generating substantial returns. I sought to bridge the gap between their strategies, eager to enhance my skills and knowledge in this field.

“I challenged myself with the question, 'How can I bridge this information gap and gain access to this world?' My goal was not only to acquire this knowledge but also to leverage it to maximize my chances of success in becoming a prominent figure in this space

“I selected ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ for its accredited Finance and Investment course recognised by the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA). Additionally, I aimed to demonstrate that exceptional career opportunities and achievements are attainable outside of Russell Group universities.”

After finishing his second year, it’s not surprising to know that Eesaa won’t be resting on his laurels and has instead secured a four-week summer internship through ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ’s flagship programme, ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Global as a business consultant.

He said: “I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with start-ups and medium-sized businesses, delving into their challenges and empowering these enterprises to thrive and succeed in their endeavours.

“Being able to step away a little from a solely finance role and showcase a little more of my creativity and entrepreneurship is very exciting.   

“It’ll be a great opportunity to engross myself in an international culture and apply what we know as university students in the UK to make a positive impact on these companies.”

This year’s targetJobs Undergraduate of the Year ceremony takes place on Friday 26 April at London’s iconic Canary Wharf.