HSBC 麻豆传媒 Services
Quadri Adisa
07 January 2025
Quadri Adisa, analyst in the securities lending team at HSBC 麻豆传媒 Services, speaks with Daniel Tison about his unexpected journey into securities finance and the power of being acknowledged
Image: Quadri Adisa
Can you tell me about your journey into the securities finance industry?
My journey into the securities finance industry was partly a happy accident. I started my career in an unrelated field in the financial sector in Nigeria, as I have always had an affinity for finance, but I made the decision to pivot after my master鈥檚 degree programme.
I was not going to start my finance journey in securities lending specifically because I did not have exposure to this part of the industry 鈥� which is a misconception you may find if you ask many young people looking to work in finance. Since I started my current role, I have attended career fairs hosted for undergraduates and recent graduates where I had to explain what securities lending is because a lot of them have never heard of it 鈥� which is not something my peers in investment banking, or fixed income sales and trading, and the like, tend to have to do about their jobs.
When I came across this role at HSBC, I did my research. I went on LinkedIn to see what the career path for current and past participants of the industry looks like and I saw the role is quite specialised, but that I had the transferrable skills, and it would be a great opportunity for me to learn and add value to the organisation.
The key factors that have helped me to navigate my path are my tendency to be tenacious when I need to achieve a goal, leveraging the willing nature of both my professional network and friends to serve as a sounding board when I need guidance, and being ready to learn and take on new challenges.
As a young professional, what aspects of your role or the industry do you find most exciting?
Every day, I go to work knowing I am going to learn something new or see the practical implementation of financial instruments I have heard about in the past. It is very easy to read up on definitions, but the true challenge lies in understanding the nuances of the financial instruments and regulatory landscape, and in order to bridge this knowledge gap, I seek further understanding from more experienced team members.
A key experience for me is being acknowledged for completing tasks, which I know must be quite straightforward for more experienced team members. This pushes me to want to contribute more and meet expectations because it feels good to see that one is contributing value and being recognised for it 鈥� no matter how significant it may be. Seeing the value of the projects you have worked on in real-time helps develop a sense of realisation that you are continuously making an impact in the organisation you work in and developing your skills.
Many companies offer various training and development opportunities for their employees. How has your company supported your growth?
Since I joined HSBC, one of the things I have come to value the most is how well it invests in its workforce. Prior to this role, I went through a skills boot camp facilitated by experienced training professionals, which was very helpful in developing my fundamental understanding of working in the financial services industry. This training went beyond learning how to interpret market situations or carry out technical analysis, as there were personal development sessions. While quantitative skills are important, strong interpersonal skills are equally as crucial.
What misconceptions about working in the financial industry have you encountered, and how do you address these challenges?
One of the most common misconceptions is that you cannot have a work-life balance if you work in banking. Personally, I have been able to achieve this thanks to the business line I am currently in and the organisation, but I believe that it is somewhat easy to plan my day effectively and spend my weekends doing some of the things I enjoy.
Another common misconception is young people thinking they cannot work in the industry because of their academic background. A lot of the roles through the graduate pipeline at HSBC do not necessarily require you to have finance qualifications or a degree in a related field. My undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are unrelated to finance.
That is why I make an effort to attend events curated for graduates or undergraduates to share my background with them and let them see that you do not need a finance degree to do what I am doing. Your desire to learn and bring in fresh ideas is part of what the bank seeks.
Looking ahead, where do you see yourself in the next five years in terms of your career goals and aspirations?
If you asked me that question five years ago, I would have said 鈥渂eing a full stack developer鈥� or something tech-related, but here I am 鈥� on an entirely different career path. Right now, I am just enjoying this learning phase and building new skill sets that I know are going to be useful in whatever I find myself doing in five years鈥� time.
But to be more specific, I have about a year and a half to complete my rotation in the 麻豆传媒 Services business at HSBC and then off into a permanent position. I believe the next three years or so after that will involve being an individual contributor to the organisation, driving growth, building relationships, and hopefully taking on leadership and mentoring roles.
What advice do you have for other young professionals aspiring to pursue a career in your industry?
As a young professional in the financial industry, developing confidence in your own abilities and potential may seem difficult, but keep trusting your inherent potential and do not compromise your values or principles. In short, always take a bet on yourself, but without sacrificing integrity.
During the short time I have been in this field, one little insight that I have gained from other senior colleagues, which is very applicable across all other fields, is that it is okay not to be the best at something, even if you sometimes strive to be, but being reliable, in terms of delivering outputs, can get you even farther.
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