Earlier this week, we had the privilege of welcoming back Salimah Dharssi (nee Bhaloo) (NHEHS 2002) to speak to our Sixth Form about her career in finance and life on a global trading floor.

After leaving NHEHS and studying Mathematics at Oxford, Salimah began her career with summer internships in banking before going on to work at leading financial institutions including UBS, Crédit Agricole and Bank of America, where she has spent most of her career.

Her talk gave students a fascinating insight into the reality of working in finance, far beyond the stereotypes often associated with the industry. She explained the fast-paced and highly collaborative nature of trading floors, where teams across Asia, London and New York work together around the clock responding to global events in real time. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience, she reflected on major moments she has worked through including the Global Financial Crisis, Brexit, the Trump presidency and the war in Ukraine.

She spoke candidly about the demands of the industry, but also about the opportunities it offers: intellectual challenge, international collaboration, financial independence and the ability to build a dynamic and rewarding career. Students were particularly interested in her reflections on being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated environment and how the culture within finance is gradually changing for the better.

A key theme throughout the talk was that there is no single route into finance. She encouraged students not to feel pressured to have their future fully mapped out at this stage, emphasising that curiosity, resilience, enthusiasm and a strong work ethic are often more important than studying a specific subject. She also highlighted the value of internships and being willing to take opportunities even without knowing exactly where they may lead.

She concluded by discussing the growing impact of AI within the financial sector, explaining that while technology will undoubtedly reshape the industry, human judgement, trust and relationships will remain at the centre of many roles.

It was an inspiring and thought-provoking session and we are incredibly grateful to her for returning to share her experiences and advice with our students.