Yury Kiselev graduated from ICEF in 2006, and after that entered the MSc programme at Cass Business School in London – one of the best business schools. Now Yury is a Director at Société Générale Bank (London office) and Head of Central and Eastern Europe, CIS & Russia on the international Debt Capital Markets. In this interview he told us what ‘bonus’ ICEF confers on its graduates, how to recognize your true purpose and why goals should be ‘over the top’.
Do you manage to keep in touch with ICEF and your fellow students?
In my student days (years 2002–2006) there were relatively small cohorts, around 60 students in each year. Despite that, it is, unfortunately, rather difficult to keep up with the alumni community in a global sense, particularly taking into account my current pace of life. However, I have a circle that was formed during my studies and which I continue to communicate, work and be friends with. Among them are not just my fellow classmates but also senior- and junior-year students. It is extremely interesting to watch how their life and career develop. I guess friends and communication is a ‘bonus’ that an ICEF graduate gets in addition to the quality education. And that is very valuable.
Do you remember what helped you choose the university and what would you recommend to the future students?
Visiting open days, talking with teachers and future students, studying the college’s programme, its aims and values – all this helped me choose ICEF.
I think it is important to pay attention to your interests, hobbies and dreams while choosing your profession; it is useful to picture yourself in 5, 10 years. However, you shouldn’t become too obsessed with it. It is likely that in the process of studying new horizons and opportunities will appear, in which case even the most perfectly formed picture may change. No, it won’t be worse; it will be simply different.
After completing the ICEF Bachelor’s Programme you continued your education at Cass Business School and you still live and work in London. Did you intentionally head for an international career?
Strategically it all ended at the stage when I entered the Business School in London. After that a completely new stage began, I had a wish to build my career in this city and I lucked out. It is, of course, also very important to be in the right place at the right time. My thinking was very simple: if I find a job, I will stay, if not – I will go back. To be honest, after a few years I wished to come back to Moscow, but I was not afraid of anything, keeping in mind that ICEF graduates greatly succeed both on the international and Russian markets. There was no coming back as I decided that I would fight until the end and would conquer a new career height.
Why did London attract you in general?
I have been living in London since 2006. When I moved to this city I was a student and didn’t suffer any agonies choosing location. In student years it is easy to adopt to any changes in life. Besides, I could receive a good education in London and regularly see my friends and relatives who had also decided to live here.
While living in London one should also keep in mind that Europe is close and you can drive, fly and even swim there any time. Not to mention the good ale and football
Of course, when you come to a new city as a student, it looks bright and colorful and this stays in your memory. After that London turns from the student city to another category – a place where you constantly work.
In the previous interview you mentioned being offered the position of a Director at Sociеtе Gеnеrale. Would you share with us your current achievements and highlights?
6 years passed from the moment when I had received the offer – this can be considered to be an achievement. But joking aside, when I started working with Sociеtе Gеnеrale I was responsible for work with clients from Russia and CIS countries. Currently I am a Head of Central and Eastern Europe, CIS & Russia on the international Debt Capital Markets. Without any false modesty I can say that we have one of the most professional teams in this area. I consider my main achievement to be the satisfaction I get from working and interacting with the people that surround me.
What do you like in your job most of all?
Communication with interesting people and the opportunity to learn something new every day. For example, did you know that almost 85 – 90% of diamonds extracted around the world are mined in a small town in India? Also, I’m pleased to realize that I help corporations, banks, and countries attract finance for developing not only a particular company but the economy on the whole. To sum up, I can say that if you are ready, albeit with some difficulty, to wake up every day at 6am, go to bed not earlier than midnight and still go to the office with pleasure – then you have found a job that you really like.
What goals do you set for the following 5-10 years?
I fully agree with Boris Pasternak who wrote that one needs to set goals beyond one’s strength: firstly, because you never know what twists of fate are ahead of you and secondly, because the strength will come while accomplishing the unattainable objective. I think that you just need to aspire to become better, and by that I mean better than yourself. Most important is not to be afraid to set high goals and also not to get complacent, you need to aim higher all the time.
Anastasia Chumak, specially for HSE ICEF
