In this series, we will be speaking to our diverse and talented colleagues about life at FINBOURNE. In each interview we will learn more about their roles and what life is like at a fast-paced scale-up.
Back in 2019, we spoke with Daria Deluermoz, one of FINBOURNE’s first graduate hires, about her first few months as a software developer. Two years on, we catch up with Daria to hear more about her current role and what she enjoys most about working at FINBOURNE.
How would you describe life at FINBOURNE?
FINBOURNE is a really exciting place to be at the moment. The company has grown massively over the past few years, and we’re now more than 130 employees. Since we last spoke, we’ve doubled in size, moved to the Square Mile, opened a subsidiary in the USA and gone through a global pandemic! Transitioning to our new office in the City this summer was quite a big jump after working from home but I enjoyed seeing my colleagues face to face again and meeting the many new joiners. It was fun to celebrate the new normal in September with a summer get-together.
What do you like most about the company?
I’ve been at FINBOURNE since 2018 and even though the company has grown quickly, I feel like it still has the same friendly and welcoming atmosphere, as it did when I joined. Something FINBOURNE has nailed over the years is hiring people who fit in well with the ‘challenger’ mentality of the company. The team is made up of like-minded but also individual people who genuinely enjoy the work we do and get on with each other, and I think this is a great asset to the company.
The nice thing about FINBOURNE is its openness, you’re always aware of what’s going on and what new functionalities are being developed. If you’re curious about something, you can just go and ask a question or read up on the right Slack channel. It also means that everyone can be part of problem-solving and knowledge sharing. No matter how senior they are, people are willing to take time to share their knowledge and expertise whether it’s over lunch or a quick coffee.
COVID-19 has changed everyone’s work patterns, but FINBOURNE has always been committed to supporting each employee’s way of working, from the beginning. I tend to come into the office every day, as I enjoy the sociable atmosphere and collaborating with my colleagues, but what I like is being able to work to a schedule that suits me. I really enjoy working to my own rhythm and FINBOURNE definitely respects that.
What are you working on at the moment?
Over the years, I’ve been able to work across different teams and that has been a great way to build my experience and find what aspects I most enjoy. Today, I am working with the team I originally integrated with, as I’ve always had an interest in data.
I enjoy the variety of my role, as one day I could be working on our data virtualisation platform, Luminesce, the next I’m looking at our flagship platform, LUSID, and the day after that I could be doing demo work. Right now, I am working on some cool functionality, building a dashboard for one of our products. It’s really satisfying to see my hard work paying off and seeing new functionalities being built as a result.
What’s next for you at FINBOURNE?
Over the years, it’s been exciting to take on more responsibility and to now be a part of the decision-making process. We’ve also had a new graduate join the team, so I’ve started to mentor them on projects, whilst also taking on more advanced tasks myself. Developing skills while at the same time sharing knowledge in this way, is really rewarding.
Our technology stack is made up of many systems and learning how our technology connects within the company has been a great learning experience. A lot of my projects come from my ability to work across different teams and different systems and in the future, I want to continue building on this expertise.
What’s your advice to graduates looking to secure a role in industry?
Work is functional yes, but choose somewhere that has a fun approach too. One of the things I love about FINBOURNE is the supportive environment it offers new starters. For graduates in the marketplace, I’d say look for an employer that offers regular touchpoints and team meetings, so you are always in the know and can engage in two-way dialogue. On the go training is also important. As I didn’t come from a finance background, I was able to take advantage of the weekly ‘Finance Q&A’ sessions, which provides a good learning opportunity, alongside external training. Most importantly, if you’re joining a growing company, make sure there is good employee mobility, with the opportunity to move across teams, as well as vertically.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the graduate positions we have open at FINBOURNE, please check out our careers page.
