Joakim Standal

Joakim Standal
Business and Finance (2016)
Relationship Manager
Pareto Bank Norway

With ambition and ability, the numbers soon add up for Heriot-Watt University alumni.

Joakim Standal (24), for example, graduated with a M.A. Degree in Business and Finance in May 2016 and, less than three months later, secured an enviable position with Pareto Bank, a leading independent player in the Nordic financial services market, based in Oslo.

The corporate banking sector is highly competitive but the speed and seniority of Joakim’s appointment is not surprising: 85% of Heriot-Watt Business and Finance alumni are employed within six months of graduating and, typically, almost all of them find professional or managerial positions.

Pareto Bank specialises in transactions and securities and Joakim’s role as Relationship Manager has given him a greater appreciation of the breadth of subjects he studied at Heriot-Watt.

“The degree was a nice balance between business and finance subjects,” he said, “I was a bit sceptical at first about some of the business topics prescribed as I’d always preferred finance. But we did a course on Marketing & Management of SMEs which involved drawing up a development plan for a potential start-up business, and it turned out to be one of the most interesting and useful courses of the degree.

“Number skills in finance are very important – in fact, they were the key to my getting this job - but then, so are written skills in business and I’m glad I was able to study both.”

Heriot-Watt has always attracted a significant fraternity of Scandinavian students. “Norway and Scotland share close bonds,” said Joakim. “I really enjoyed living in Edinburgh. It’s a beautiful city and I thought the campus itself was very pretty in the Springtime. I haven’t been back since I graduated but I hope to return soon.” 

Joakim has useful advice for new students: “I would recommend that they try to balance their studies between business and finance as a detailed knowledge of both will be invaluable for their future careers. Also, some of the heavier finance topics, such as derivatives, can seem a bit daunting at first but it’s well worth studying these in depth as employers, I have found, are especially keen on people who really understand the numbers.”

A passionate randonnée skier, Joakim is used to safely navigating peaks and troughs, and the financial world offers similar risks and rewards. His personal goal is financial security enough to allow time to pursue an active, outdoor lifestyle. With a head start from Heriot-Watt, the numbers are sure to add up.