Andrew Clark

I graduated from Northumbria University with a 2:1 degree in Business Studies, and then moved into industry with IBM where I qualified as a Management Accountant.After 5 years at IBM I moved to Anglo American, a listed mining company, and began working in the Thermal Coal sales team, managing sales into Europe, The Middle East and Africa. Anglo American decided to set up a trading desk for Thermal Coal in 2012, therefore I progressed from a Sales Manager to a Physical Trading role.

In 2018 I relocated to Singapore where I was responsible for Thermal Coal trading into India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as running the Physical coal trading platform activity for Anglo.  Along side my physical responsibilities, I also ran the financial trading activity for thermal coal out of Singapore, concentrating on the Australian (NEWC) and Indonesian (ICI4) indexes.In 2019 I was promoted to Manager - Financial Trading (Shipping), with responsibility for all FFA trading for the Anglo American Shipping desk located in Singapore.

What are you doing now?

I currently live in Singapore with my wife and daughter, and I am working as Manager - Financial Trading (Shipping) for Anglo American.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

From the moment I arrived I knew I had found where I wanted to study.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

Great mix of lectures, seminars, coursework and examinations. Great facilities as well, particularly the library and sports.

How connected was your course with industry? (eg. did you have a placement, work on projects? were there interesting guest lectures?)

Very connected with the industry. At the time of my studies it was when Premiership Football Clubs were starting to list on the stock exchange, one of our lecturers ran a set of seminars and lectures on this specific subject. The course was also able to link in issues around Enron, which again was very topical at the time.

If you took on a placement during your course how did you feel this helped you in your career/ with your studies?

I worked for IBM during my placement year, and it was a fantastic experience. It allowed me to further concentrate on my studies during my final year as I wanted to secure a role back at IBM after I graduated.

What was the best thing about your course?

The lecturers, my fellow course mates, and the dissertation.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/ give your career an edge?

Northumbria University gave me belief in my ability and helped me unlock my potential.

What advice would you give somebody who is considering studying at Northumbria?

Northumbria University was a fantastic place to study, both as a University and a city. I would highly recommend the business school to prospective students.

How would you describe your time at Northumbria in three words?

Busy, exciting and rewarding.