From engineering to emerging markets: How ESSEC’s APAC campus powers finance careers

For engineers with a taste for global markets and a head for numbers, finance can become more than a curiosity. Switching fields takes more than technical skills; it takes a programme that understands your background and your ambitions. 

At ESSEC Business School’s Asia-Pacific campus, that pivot is underway. An alumnus and a student, working in London, show how international exposure transforms technical backgrounds into finance careers.

One pivot

Take Emmanuelle Roussi. Born in Martinique and trained in electrical engineering at INSA Lyon, Roussi saw no overlap between her field and finance. “As the curriculum focused on electronics and programming, there was no overlap with finance-related subjects." Her internships were far from Wall Street. “My internships were in a power plant and an aerospace and defence company.” 

Her interest in finance sparked during late-night reading. She recalls, “I became interested in finance while I was studying electrical engineering. I came across this topic through quantitative research papers.”

Till Hani followed a different track; he studied economics, followed by an MSc in Financial Engineering from Paris Dauphine. But it was his second master's in financial markets at ESSEC that sharpened his practical edge.“A second master’s in financial markets was a strategic decision to deepen my expertise in global finance.” 

Why ESSEC? 

Roussi chose ESSEC for excellence, culture, and exposure. “I wanted a school that aligned with my values and offered top-tier training in finance. ESSEC’s Master in Finance (MiF) stood out: it’s consistently ranked among the world’s best finance programmes, with a strong alumni community and taught abroad on a full-time basis.”

Hani echoes this. ESSEC was ideal due to its reputation in finance and focus on international business. “ESSEC’s extensive alumni network, with graduates working at leading financial institutions across major global hubs, provides an advantage in securing top positions and advancing within the industry.”

Singapore’s edge 

Both professionals identified ESSEC's APAC campus in Singapore as crucial to their career transitions, with European academic rigour and Asian market dynamism. 

At ESSEC’s APAC campus, the curriculum connects classroom knowledge to Asia’s financial ecosystem. Students engage with it through study trips, office visits and classes taught by regional industry professionals. 

“Asia has been growing and now competes with the biggest developed markets. Joining ESSEC allowed me to experience it.” Roussi says, 

Hani agrees. “The Singapore campus offered an advantage by providing exposure to Asia's dynamic financial hub, allowing us to engage with one of the biggest financial centres in the world.” He also cites the diversity of his cohort. His class included 40% from scientific fields and students of 19 nationalities. “Interacting with students from cultural and professional backgrounds broadened my perspective.” 

“From the start of my journey in engineering, I knew I wanted a career with international exposure,” Roussi explains. “Singapore gave me that opportunity.”

The setting helped sharpen skills for trading roles, which differ from back-end financial engineering. “Financial engineering roles are more quantitative and technical,” Hani says. “In contrast, trading is more market-driven, focusing on real-time decisions.”

Hani credits the Singapore campus with bridging that gap through simulations, portfolio management, and hands-on training. “The MiF helped build market intuition that cannot come from textbooks.”

For Roussi, the confidence to transition came from academic training and career preparation. “The first few weeks of the master's are on career coaching.” From CV workshops to networking sessions, students are primed for hiring.

The Asian advantage

Singapore's position as a financial hub provided advantages unavailable in European programmes.

"Singapore's financial ecosystem is impressive; the country is well-known for its success in this industry," observes Roussi. 

Hani adds, "The Singapore campus played a key role in shaping my career in finance by offering exposure to a global perspective and access to Asia's dynamic financial markets." 

ESSEC’s APAC campus is not just about location. It’s about perspective.

Soft skills, sharp markets

The ability to adapt, communicate across cultures, and understand global markets is essential.“Eagerness, discipline and open-mindedness,” Roussi says, are the qualities most critical in making a move from engineering into finance. “It’s not only about stocks moving up or down, or companies merging. It’s also about politics, history, psychology, and sociology.”

Bridging the gap

ESSEC’s MiF helped bridge the gap between technical expertise and market-facing finance.

"It played a role in bridging the skills gap between financial engineering and broader finance roles like trading," says Hani. The programme strengthened his technical expertise through courses including stochastic calculus, volatility trading, and financial econometrics. There was an emphasis on practical application. Hani recalls, "Real-world case studies allowed me to develop market intuition and quick decision-making skills critical for success in trading." 

Engineers who find finance appealing may be surprised how transferable their skills are, especially in a programme designed to enhance them.

“My financial engineering skills helped me grasp complex financial concepts and apply them to real-world scenarios,” Hani says. Combined with his passion for macroeconomics, this gave him an advantage in emerging markets trading. Now an AVP in Emerging Markets FX Trading at Citi, Hani uses his financial engineering background and APAC experience daily. 

A lifelong network 

Both point to ESSEC’s alumni network as a long-term career asset. Hani says, "I made lifelong friends who are now working at prestigious financial institutions in Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Paris, Geneva, or New York." These relationships continue to support him, personally and professionally. 

Career acceleration

The results speak for themselves. Hani and Roussi work at major financial institutions in London. 

Asked what she would tell other engineers, Roussi is clear. “As engineers, we’re keen to work with numbers, develop tools, and understand complex mathematical concepts.” She emphasises the importance of exploring the bigger picture through reading, discussion and experience.

Roussi, who is completing her MiF while interning at Morgan Stanley in sales and trading, sees the programme as a two-way street. “You have to give your best self to receive the best from the MiF.”

As financial markets become more interconnected and digital, quantitative backgrounds, international exposure, and practical market experience fuel career transitions in finance. ESSEC’s Singapore campus gives European engineers the platform to make that leap. 

For engineers eyeing global finance, ESSEC’s MiF programme may be the best deal on the table. https://www.essec.edu/en/program/master-in-finance/