For more than half a decade, I have maintained a conceptual continuity in my academic and professional careers, a consistent path to advanced knowledge and understanding of Finance and Economics, both in theory and practical, real-world experiences. I have reached a point where I am anxious to immerse myself in a quality MSc program in Finance and Economics. There has never been a better time to develop oneself, not just in terms of marketability, but also in terms of contributions to turning the global tide of economic decline. In my homeland of Thailand, I have seen and experienced the near 5% GDP drop between 2005 and 2007, fueled by political crises – namely the 2006 coup - that have decreased investor and consumer confidence, both nationally and internationally. Even with the military government’s backward capital controls on international investment lifted, recovery is slow and precious few option-valuation techniques are being applied, or to lesser effect.
Indeed, I am particularly interested in pursuing international banking and finance or corporate and international finance courses as all of these are within my field of interest in terms of research, foundation for future research and my career in corporate finance. While I have not solidified my exact area of research, with my practical experiences in the field, I have a good foundation from which to build a thesis based on the automotive industry or hire purchase industries. The current global economic climate and its effect on the automotive industry in Thailand, my homeland, is a reflection of other developed and even emerging nations’ experiences in terms of the survivability of automotive firms, and other secondary industries for that matter, in current financial crisis.
The ideal for my career path would be to increase my exposure in the field post-graduation, later completing my doctorate in Finance and Economics, and eventually serving a multinational company as its CFO. Sharing my knowledge and experiences would prove invaluable for ensuring the future interest in the field as well as providing valuable insights to future students and existing corporations as a special instructor in an academic institution, or advisor in a relevant association. More importantly, I would enjoy using my position in a company to encourage the creation of a scholarship program, aiding students pursuing education and careers in Finance, particularly for the socio-economically challenged.
My path to this point in my academics and career began at the tender age of eleven, when living with my uncle’s family; I helped with the sale of their goods, a variety of student uniforms. The experience left me truly intrigued by business, and my grasp of its rudiments and critical thinking skills were noted by my family. As a result, my father sent me to Bangkok to study at one of our finest high schools, where I excelled in mathematics, completing a three-year course of study in only two years. While my undergraduate degree was in Pharmacy and even worked in this field for three years as an assistant manager, I found that it was not my calling, preferring a more business-based education, being more interested in marketing the business, payroll, budgeting, scheduling and auditing than dispensing pharmaceuticals; thus, my MBA in Finance, a program I completed with a near-perfect GPA.
I bring with me to the student body three years practical experience in the financial field, having worked as a dealer credit analyst at Primus Leasing, a subsidiary of Ford Leasing whose parent company is Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford Leasing in Thailand provides two main services: hire purchase for retail customers; and wholesale line to support dealers under the Ford, Mazda and Volvo brands. Preparing credit proposals to board members for their approval of wholesale facilities to dealers, I was promoted after just one year to Risk Management and Dealer Analysis Supervisor, increasing my exposure to captive finance models, and responsibilities including ensuring that the quality of credit proposals remained consistent and of good quality, supervising a team of analysts. Additionally, I worked within a multidisciplinary team, working closely with the Dealer Development and Market Representation team of Sales Companies, supporting synergies and initiatives. I am particularly proud of the work I did maintaining zero commercial loss, streamlining the wholesale security monitoring process and developing tools that aided in the in-depth analysis of dealer’s over all financial health, including implementing creative ways of resolving issues which automotive businesses worldwide are now confronting.
Throughout my time in education, even at a young age in Thailand, Britain’s educational institutions and their reputation are well known. Coming to the UK is largely a choice for investing in my future, to increase my academic foundation, and give my ambition the requisite knowledge it needs to bring my dreams to fruition. I bring with me a worldview that is different from other students, though it has been tempered by working in a multinational company, but also, and more importantly, I am able to interact effectively with people of differing backgrounds, cultures and creeds. If my future is truly to be in a multinational company environment, it will no doubt have an international dynamic that I will be better equipped to meet the needs and challenges of having graduated from a British educational institution.
I look forward to this next chapter in my academics with great eagerness. Thank you for your time and consideration.
