• Gain an understanding of finance in Asia.
• Career Services office and AlumnEye coach students through top companies’ selection processes.
• Opportunities available at a leading global financial hub.

The ESSEC Master in Finance (MiF) program is ranked 4th best globally, with alumni at leading financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and HSBC.

This is undoubtedly thanks to the technical and analytical abilities, interpersonal skills, and extensive network developed by the MiF program.

But it is also because of the program’s strategic location in Singapore—Asia’s top financial hub and third in the world, after New York and London.

1 | Applied Learning with A Focus on Asian Markets

Asia’s influence on the global economy makes it essential for finance professionals to understand the region’s nuances—no matter where they eventually work.

This is where being at the ESSEC Asia-Pacific offers an advantage.

“Being part of the MiF ESSEC Asia-Pacific cohort has given me more insights into Asian culture, something that I did not have the opportunity to experience in Europe,” German national Aaryan Agrawal shares.

This is partly because of the diversity on campus and because all courses are taught with the Asian context in mind.

Instrumental is also the Fintech & Analytics track, which was introduced to address the rapid digitalization of the finance industry.

Being at ESSEC Asia-Pacific means a chance to specialize or take electives from the track to prepare for the digital transformation of the industry.

All this is augmented by how “the coursework is also heavily reliant on real-world examples and case studies,” Aditya Athawale, who comes from India, chimes in, adding that with this approach, students “understand how to apply their theoretical knowledge in an actual setting” when they finally enter the working world.

2 | A Career-Oriented Approach From Start to Finish

MiF students at the ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus also receive equal, if not more comprehensive, career services support as those in Cergy.

For example, the smaller cohort size means they are more likely to receive personalized attention from Career Services for interview preparation or in writing their CVs.

In addition, guest talks with industry professionals are arranged almost weekly for students to learn more about the industries and roles they may take on.

“The talks give us access to people who are very successful in the finance sector,” French national Elsa Saada recalls, noting that in her experience, “these speakers can even direct us to the right people to speak to for our future careers.”

Students also gain access to AlumnEye, a training provider that teaches them about the technical and behavioral skills necessary to pass interviews with top firms.

“We learned a lot about how we could maximize our chances of being accepted, but also about how we should behave when we start our careers,” Gregoire Bonneval, who also comes from France, shares.

Finally, the program’s annual study trip to a significant financial center such as London, New York, or Hong Kong.

During these trips, students visit offices of companies such as Barclay’s Capital, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and more.

It is a chance to meet representatives of each company and learn more about finance in Asia—all in all, preparing them for when they may enter the working world.

3 | Opportunities Abound In A Global Financial Hub

Lastly, one of the most significant benefits of choosing ESSEC’s Asia-Pacific campus is studying and living in Singapore, one of the world’s top financial centers.

As a result, students are near an international stock exchange and many top investment banks and can witness firsthand Singapore’s impact on the region.

Bloomberg reported that the Singaporean government aims to add up to 20,000 finance jobs over the next five years and also plans to support sustainability initiatives within the finance sector, including green fintech, new sustainable finance solutions, and reinsurance.

For MiF students, this means more job opportunities and the chance to contribute to innovative and exciting finance solutions that may soon be replicated worldwide.

In fact, as a testament to the opportunities that abound to MiF students, both Elsa and Aditya secured internships in their first year—Elsa at private equity firm Corecam and Aditya at social e-commerce firm Supernova.

So, should MiF students choose the ESSEC Asia-Pacific campus? The answer from students is a resounding “yes.” “

It is a way to explore new cultures and perhaps find a way to work in Asia while studying at a great French business school,” Gregoire says. “Being in Singapore is a great choice for me.”