Grigorii Kuzmin
My name is Grigorii Kuzmin, and I have lived my entire life in Moscow, Russia. I am a passionate learner and aspire to be a lifetime student. Personally, I like dreaming big and achieving my goals, even if everyone says they are impossible. I am an optimist and try to see the ray of hope at the end of the tunnel—rather than the light of the approaching train. In my experience, the Master in Finance is not only a top-rated program, but also a community of people united by shared passions for finance, learning and the pursuit of excellence.
“The high level of difficulty and pressure experienced in the Master in Finance serves as invaluable preparation for success in investment banking and related industries where similar demands are commonplace.”
Blending theory with practice: How one student navigates the Master in Finance
Some may consider Grigorii Kuzmin to be an intrinsic learner. Passionate about finance and economics, this Muscovite and former tennis player describes his current experience in the Master in Finance as “transformative.”
Like other IE Business School students, Grigorii began the program after having studied financial economics during a previous master’s degree. Such preparations gave him a solid grasp of mathematical modeling concepts for analyzing economic relationships.
Beyond playing tennis professionally until he was 15, Grigorii’s prior work experience was purely academic before joining the IE Community. This included a spell as a research analyst at the International Laboratory of Financial Economics, supporting PhD professors with publication research. During his first master’s degree, he also served as a teaching assistant for courses including Econometrics and Theory of Finance, managing over 60 students across two groups.
Fast-forward to today and Grigorii has been recognized as a top-ranking Master in Finance student.
With newfound professional interests such as valuation and financial modeling, Grigorii attributes his ongoing academic success to self-discipline and his natural drive for self-improvement. More importantly, his genuine interest in the learning material motivates him even further.
When applying to his second master’s program, Grigorii deliberately chose IE University because it accepts the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Exam, which is how he enrolled.
“With numerous projects and nearly weekly exams, the Master in Finance fosters the development of exceptional time management and teamwork skills.”
Beyond the university’s high rankings, reputable career services, and plentiful post-graduate employment opportunities, Grigorii also wanted to strengthen his bonds with Spanish culture. Over the years, he has traveled to Spain, studied the language, passed the B2 proficiency exam, and made friends along the way.
He is invested in the country and the region. One of his ultimate goals at IE University is to develop tangible skills for establishing a career in Spain and around the Iberian Peninsula. If all goes to plan, he would even like to leverage his education as a bridge to other Spanish-speaking financial markets.
According to Grigorii, the Master in Finance effectively combines theory with practical real-world preparation. As he approaches graduation, Grigorii has found that the coursework especially equips students with the necessary time management and teamwork skills to succeed in the banking industry.
In Grigorii’s opinion, the intensive and challenging Master in Finance curriculum prepares students for the demanding nature of investment banking roles. Through dedication and hard work, the degree program provides the practical knowledge and tools for learners to confidently enter the finance and economic workforce.
In many ways, Grigorii credits the friendly yet competitive environment of the Master in Finance with helping him become a better version of himself. Finally able to expand his theoretical and academic foundation, he commends the program for its fusion of theory and practice.
As Grigorii continues his journey to becoming a real-world banking practitioner, he enjoys learning the practical side of finance and economics to accelerate his career.
Moving forward, Grigorii is eager to see how his new skills will help him thrive in the dynamic finance world. With his strong foundation and comprehensive education from the Master in Finance, he intends to make a significant impact in the financial sector.
