Despite only graduating this year, Gold’s already starting to shine with an appearance on the 2020-2021 Top 150 Future Leaders List (Powerful Media).

She recently completed a successful summer internship at leading global independent investment bank, Evercore, through the 10,000 Black Interns programme, and has now secured a permanent analyst role. Read on to find out why the challenges of studying and graduating during the pandemic only made Gold (BA Sociology, 2021) more determined to succeed.

What have you been up to since graduating?

After graduating, I completed a ten-week internship with investment banking company Evercore, which I got through what was then the 100 Black Interns Programme (it’s now called 10,000 Black Interns).

It was a great experience. I was lucky enough to be there at the moment a deal was signed, and see how the whole firm reacted to our team’s success. I really felt part of the company and that we’d all accomplished this together. I’ve just received a return offer, and I'll be joining the company as an analyst in January 2022.

What three words describe you?

Confident, determined and enthusiastic.

What’s the most important thing you learned at Warwick?

Organisation and self-determination, because my time at university was obviously disrupted by COVID. That impact really brought those characteristics out of me, because we couldn’t focus on what was difficult, and instead had to have that internal drive to complete work on time or wake up early for online lectures or seminars. It made me much more disciplined towards my studies.

Do you have a favourite memory of studying at Warwick?

In my first year, I attended the Warwick Africa Summit. It was absolutely amazing to see so many different minds in one place discussing such important issues. As well as the development of Africa, we talked about how to celebrate the positive things that were going on.

That was such a big experience for me that I then volunteered for the team in my second year and was also Deputy Head of External Relations in my final year, so my involvement continued throughout my course.

What do you think future leadership really means? And what does it mean to you to be identified as a future leader?

It means setting a positive example for people who are following on a similar journey. To give advice to others, as I was given from people before me, and to help in any way I can. I want to be the conduit between their dreams and where they are now, and their future successes.

More personally, I've come from a working class background, and an area where not many people would go to a Russell Group university like Warwick, or get a job in an investment bank. I’m showing that it’s possible and I hope more people will then see they can follow on a similar journey, or achieve their own personal ambitions.