Consultant of the Month – September 2018

Each month, talented FDM consultants are recognised on-site for going above and beyond in their roles. Congratulations to the September Consultant of the Month winners! Could it be you next month?

Dennis Law

Business Analyst, HSBC, HK

University of Surrey: Guildford, Economics and Finance

I joined FDM in April 2017, and felt so rewarded after my time in the Academy. I made some great friendships and bonded with my fellow trainees. We still get together every now and then and continue to support each other. After completing my academy training with FDM, I was placed in my current role with HSBC at the Global Market Operations division. Being at HSBC has offered me great insight into the world of OTC derivatives products and the regulatory obligations that comes with them. It has been a wonderful experience so far, and nothing beats being recognised as an important member of the team and having your work be valued. My managers have given me faith and freedom to express myself in my role at work, allowing me to gain maximum exposure as well as the opportunity to come across and gain experience with different stakeholders. I am absolutely flattered to have won Consultant of the Month; I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who contributed in awarding me this recognition.

Adam Sammour

Anti-Money-Laundering, Transaction Monitoring, Manager, HSBC, UK

The University of Warwick: Politics and International Studies

I joined FDM because I knew that I could have an excellent opportunity to develop my skills and professional experience. I have been with HSBC since the beginning of 2018 and it’s my first full-time job. My role involves financial crime, money laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption, which is all very interesting! The most rewarding part of my job is when I know I have made a valuable contribution to the safety of others. I would like to say thank you to my colleagues at HSBC, especially my team and my manager for all the support they have given me. The best thing about FDM for me has been the people. My class in training was excellent, and everyone was friendly, engaging and always pushing each other on to succeed. I believe many of them are friends I will keep for a long time. My trainers and account manager have all been exceptionally helpful and supportive, pushing myself to grow and develop as much as I can. I believe that FDM can provide an alternative route into some of the largest companies and most exciting industries in the world.

Laura Mayor

Programmer Analyst, T. Rowe Price, US

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Commercial Space Operations

Upon finding FDM, I thought it was a great opportunity to grow professionally and get my foot in the door of the corporate world. I thought it would be a good first job getting out of college, but FDM has given me a lot more than I expected. FDM has high standards for their consultants, yet they understand the importance of work/life balance. I joined in December of 2016, and my experience at my placement of T. Rowe Price as a Programmer Analyst (Software developer) has been incredible. I have learned so much and grown tremendously as a developer and as a person. The culture at T. Rowe Price is fantastic and I’m really thankful to be able to work for such a recognized company. The best thing about my time with FDM is the people that I have met. I have had the opportunity to work alongside great professionals and learn from them every day. I think FDM is an amazing opportunity for anyone that needs a little help getting their foot in the door. The support that you get from everyone at FDM is amazing and it truly makes your experience a lot better.

Zachary Smith

RPA Developer, Capgemini, UK

University of Sheffield: Physics and Astrophysics

Life at Capgemini gets straight into the action. With all the right support in place, this was a great environment to learn and build on my confidence. This award highlights that hard work is recognised and appreciated, and gaining this award is a great achievement for me. I joined FDM because I had a strong interest in the IT industry, but I felt I didn’t necessarily have the right skill set or experience. Through the FDM graduate programme, these barriers were knocked down. While I enjoyed learning the skills at the academy, I got a lot of satisfaction in being able to put them into practice and build on them on client sites. There’s a great support network within FDM; I always feel like there’s someone I can reach out to in any situation. I would definitely recommend the FDM careers programme, as it’s a great way to get into the IT Industry and it builds a strong foundation for a successful career.

Orchita Rahman

IT analyst, CPPIB, CA

University of Toronto: Statistics and Economics

In university, I realized I had an aptitude for technology, and while my degree did allow me to delve into that strand of study, it didn’t offer me enough opportunity to develop my technical skillset. After joining in the end of July 2017, FDM allowed me to combine the knowledge I’d gained from school with a platform where I could further my interest in technology. They’ve also helped me translate that into a career I’m looking forward to further developing. The culture at FDM is inclusive and very welcoming. As a female in technology, I especially appreciate the active effort the company makes to recruit and nurture the careers of women in this traditionally male-dominated field. I joined CPPIB at the start of 2018, and since then, it’s been challenging and rewarding in equal parts I’m flattered and honoured to be recognized as a Consultant of the Month, and hope to continue to further develop and perform. I would recommend FDM to my peers because FDM has offered me opportunities and training that I otherwise would not have been able to obtain. Every day is a learning opportunity, and I’m learning more than I ever have.

Oliver Firoozan

Java Developer, REPL, UK

Imperial College London: Physics

I am massively humbled to have received this award, I would not have been able to put forward my best effort without the fantastic team I had with me. I receive great support from my peers and line managers at REPL and I always have someone to go to if I have a problem that I cannot solve on my own. There’s also an existing network of FDM consultants I can speak to which really helped speed up how quickly I was able to pick things up. I joined FDM back in June 2017 in order to move from the teaching sector to the IT sector. Although I had very little idea of how to do this, FDM provided me with that opportunity. I really enjoyed the training period and I still rely on the lessons and practises I learnt a year ago, particularly in my new role as a developer. My account manager was also fantastic at getting me settled into my new role at REPL. I would recommend FDM to anybody who wants to move into the IT sector but does not know how to start, as they provide the training to build your confidence and the connections to find a workplace that suits you.

Client responses:

Adam has very quickly become a key and valued member of my team. Adam has shown drive, willingness to learn, holds himself to high standards and has integrated into the team with little effort. He has faced a number of challenges, which has caused Adam to link in with key senior stakeholders. This could have been daunting in a new role, however due to Adam’s open and calm nature he has gained their trust and respect, receiving excellent feedback on his general conduct. If Adam is reflective of the calibre of FDM consultants, then the service provided by FDM is industry leading

– Lisa Stevenson, HSBC Head of Transaction Monitoring 

As a new consultant fresh into the role, Zach showed he was up to the job very quickly. He freely shares his knowledge with others and his written outputs are of high standard. His time management skills are great, he is self-motivated and will not waste time on trivial or non-work related activities. I can confidently allow Zach to attend client meetings as my trust in his professionalism is very high. Zach is a professional, highly technical and confident individual. He represents the company and our values excellently while on the client side and has smashed all of our expectations.

– Carine Pilkinton, Capgemini Project Manager