Meet the Team - Andrew Osayemi

Join us as we dive into Andrew Osayemi's journey as Global Head of Corporate Partnerships at AmplifyME. From finance in London and New York to creating Netflix TV shows, he's a multi-talented professional. In just six months, Andrew's made waves at AmplifyME and published his second book.
Mar 1 / Rachel Aspinall

Introduction

It’s now been just over six months since we welcomed Andrew Osayemi to AmplifyME, as Global Head of Corporate Partnerships.

Andrew has many strings to his bow, starting out in finance as Derivatives Trader in both London and New York for RBS (now Natwest), a bona fide Netflix TV Show Creator, graduate recruitment expert, and twice published author.

The last six months have flown by, and yet he’s still managed to make strides at AmplifyME, but also get another book published!

Join us in getting to know Andrew better, and learn how he got to where he is today.
It’s now been just over six months since we welcomed Andrew Osayemi to AmplifyME, as Global Head of Corporate Partnerships.

Andrew has many strings to his bow, starting out in finance as Derivatives Trader in both London and New York for RBS (now Natwest), a bona fide Netflix TV Show Creator, graduate recruitment expert, and twice published author.

The last six months have flown by, and yet he’s still managed to make strides at AmplifyME, but also get another book published!

Join us in getting to know Andrew better, and learn how he got to where he is today.

It’s far too late to say welcome, so instead, tell us about your role, and what got you here?

My role involves working with existing and new corporate clients worldwide to help bring their internship and graduate recruitment and training to life, enabling them to attract, recruit, and upskill early talent.

Through AmplifyME’s simulations, students discover what it’s like to work in various roles in markets and banking. Consequently, our corporate partners hire and train more informed and motivated young talent.

What brought me here was a full-circle moment.

I began my career as a graduate working in financial markets as an FX FWD Trader, so I understand the challenge of deciding which career path to pursue.

I learned about AmplifyME while working in recruitment at Morgan Stanley and was fascinated by the impact they were making in the early careers space in finance. I witnessed firsthand how the simulations were helping to level the playing field for a wide range of students from different backgrounds, while simultaneously offering an innovative way to attract and develop talent for the world's leading financial institutions.
My role involves working with existing and new corporate clients worldwide to help bring their internship and graduate recruitment and training to life, enabling them to attract, recruit, and upskill early talent.

Through AmplifyME’s simulations, students discover what it’s like to work in various roles in markets and banking. Consequently, our corporate partners hire and train more informed and motivated young talent.

What brought me here was a full-circle moment. I began my career as a graduate working in financial markets as an FX FWD Trader, so I understand the challenge of deciding which career path to pursue.

I learned about AmplifyME while working in recruitment at Morgan Stanley and was fascinated by the impact they were making in the early careers space in finance.

I witnessed firsthand how the simulations were helping to level the playing field for a wide range of students from different backgrounds, while simultaneously offering an innovative way to attract and develop talent for the world's leading financial institutions.

You've led large-scale D&I programmes at organisations such as Rare Recruitment and Citi. What challenges are financial institutions facing today with regards to D&I?

The biggest challenge is retention. There are many excellent Programmes that provide underrepresented individuals access to roles in finance, such as SEO London (of which I was a beneficiary), Rare, UpReach, 10,000 Black Interns, Gain, and many more, all of which are doing fantastic work. 

However, the challenge lies in the fact that some of the talented individuals who join these programmes leave the industry after a few years. Some may realise they were not well-suited for their roles initially and were simply drawn in by the allure of joining a bank.

Others may find that the culture of the firm they joined is not as inclusive as they had hoped. Whatever the issue may be, addressing it earlier on would lead to greater success in achieving diversity and inclusion goals within firms.
The biggest challenge is retention. There are many excellent Programmes that provide underrepresented individuals access to roles in finance, such as SEO London (of which I was a beneficiary), Rare, UpReach, 10,000 Black Interns, Gain, and many more, all of which are doing fantastic work. 

However, the challenge lies in the fact that some of the talented individuals who join these programmes leave the industry after a few years. Some may realise they were not well-suited for their roles initially and were simply drawn in by the allure of joining a bank.

Others may find that the culture of the firm they joined is not as inclusive as they had hoped. Whatever the issue may be, addressing it earlier on would lead to greater success in achieving diversity and inclusion goals within firms.

Can you expand on what you mean by addressing retention earlier?

 

Institutions can help improve retention by establishing role suitability earlier, by educating students about the actual roles in finance so they can apply for jobs that match their skillset and interests. Hosting in-person events during the attraction and hiring process, where students can experience the environment firsthand, is beneficial. However, this isn't always scalable due to capacity and resources. Therefore, another option is virtual on-the-job simulations, such as those provided by AmplifyME.

 

Students can experience working in a particular role for a set period of time online, and make more informed decisions based on that experience. The institution can also get a clear picture on where they performed well or struggled too. I remember playing a trading game when I was at university, which made me fall in love with the idea of working in financial markets as a Trader. Having that insight, I knew it was something I really wanted to do, enabling me to stay focused through the ups and downs of a corporate career.

 

Recruiting students who genuinely want to do the job day-to-day will significantly impact retention. It was a major reason I joined AmplifyME, to help with the mission of educating as many students as possible through real-life simulation experiences!


 

Institutions can help improve retention by establishing role suitability earlier, by educating students about the actual roles in finance so they can apply for jobs that match their skillset and interests.


Hosting in-person events during the attraction and hiring process, where students can experience the environment firsthand, is beneficial. However, this isn't always scalable due to capacity and resources. Therefore, another option is virtual on-the-job simulations, such as those provided by AmplifyME.

 

Students can experience working in a particular role for a set period of time online, and make more informed decisions based on that experience.

The institution can also get a clear picture on where they performed well or struggled too. I remember playing a trading game when I was at university, which made me fall in love with the idea of working in financial markets as a Trader. Having that insight, I knew it was something I really wanted to do, enabling me to stay focused through the ups and downs of a corporate career.

 

Recruiting students who genuinely want to do the job day-to-day will significantly impact retention. It was a major reason I joined AmplifyME, to help with the mission of educating as many students as possible through real-life simulation experiences!

You recently wrote and published another book, tell us about that and why you wrote it?

My new book is titled 'The DIY Career Switch - 35 Ways To Change Careers Without a Masters or MBA'.

I wrote the book because I wanted to share some of the things that have helped me successfully transition between careers, from trading to making TV shows to finance recruitment.

I myself was inspired to try different careers by a significant moment in my life. After I was made redundant from a banking job, my dad reminded me that my birth certificate didn’t have any profession listed on it, so I shouldn't pigeonhole myself into only one career like he did. Instead, I should spend my life maximising the skills I’m fortunate to have and exploring different opportunities.

The book therefore outlines the various ways to leverage your knowledge and abilities, helping you switch careers and maximise your career potential.

My new book is titled 'The DIY Career Switch - 35 Ways To Change Careers Without a Masters or MBA'.

I wrote the book because I wanted to share some of the things that have helped me successfully transition between careers, from trading to making TV shows to finance recruitment.

I myself was inspired to try different careers by a significant moment in my life. After I was made redundant from a banking job, my dad reminded me that my birth certificate didn’t have any profession listed on it, so I shouldn't pigeonhole myself into only one career like he did. Instead, I should spend my life maximising the skills I’m fortunate to have and exploring different opportunities.

The book therefore outlines the various ways to leverage your knowledge and abilities, helping you switch careers and maximise your career potential.

Finally, tell us something we probably don’t already know about you

I used to be a DJ so I love going to a club or party and hearing a skilled DJ mix songs and take the audience on a rollercoaster journey of emotion. Nothing compares to it!

If you'd like to get in touch with Andrew or find out how we can support your institution's attraction and recruitment efforts, drop us a message today.
I used to be a DJ so I love going to a club or party and hearing a skilled DJ mix songs and take the audience on a rollercoaster journey of emotion. Nothing compares to it!

If you'd like to get in touch with Andrew or find out how we can support your institution's atrraction and recruitment efforts, drop us a message today!