Meet Joshua, a Graduate Exploring Global Markets

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

Hi! I’m Josh, in my second year of the grad programme here. 

I interned while studying aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London and returned full time in July 2024. 

What is your role and how long have you been here?

I spent 5 months in the quant research team before locking into the listed derivatives team full time. We execute futures and options orders for clients and get paid a commission. Part of the role is developing execution algorithms, doing data analysis to improve performance, monitoring live orders, and pitching to new business. 

What inspired you to apply for this role/this company?

I wanted something to combine technical skills with a client-facing role. The fact that the desk is cross-asset is also a great place to learn starting off.

What has been the single most important thing you learnt so far in your job?

Take initiative and don’t make mistakes.

What would a ‘normal’ day look like for someone in your role?

Get in for 7am to check the overnight processes, making sure all the algos will run smoothly for the rest of the day. Check the handover orders from the Hong Kong office and any notes. The rest of the day is varied, it could be research into the order book dynamics, liquidity and roll period predictions, custom performance reviews, or pitching the algo suite to a new client.

What do you find most interesting with the sector/industry you’re in?

It’s exciting to be at the pinnacle of mountain of infrastructure that forms the global trading systems. You feel like you’re at the heart of a global supply chain when you’re watching a client order that represents hundreds of millions nominal and represents 30% of the global traded volume for Bund futures ticking away. Or when there is a big data release and you see the whole market move like a tectonic plate, with every market shifting to a new equilibrium.

What is the company culture like?

Friendly, encouraging, approachable.