Our Master of Finance (MFin) students are globally diverse, coming from various finance sectors and job functions. This diversity brings a wealth of experience and fuels a collaborative environment for our students to thrive through peer-to-peer learning. Offering scholarships gives our incoming students the opportunity to develop their skills and expand their networks to help them progress in their careers.
Meet our MFin scholars
We met with 4 of our scholarship recipients to hear their thoughts on the Cambridge MFin and how the scholarship has helped them.
Kareem Magdy – Programme Scholarship
Before joining the Cambridge MFin, Kareem worked across 3 main areas, corporate and investment banking, wealth management and consulting in key business hubs throughout the Middle East as well as in Switzerland. His experiences in these markets enabled him to develop a well-rounded understanding of financial markets and client advisory from both institutional and strategic perspectives.
Kareem chose the University of Cambridge because he wanted to strengthen his technical skills and fill the gaps in his finance knowledge, aiming to prepare himself for a leading position within a financial institution.
“The MFin’s combination of academic rigour, practical focus and access to a global network made it the ideal programme to support my professional growth.”
He also shared his excitement about working with great financial minds, learning from world-class faculty and engaging with the wider Cambridge ecosystem.
Kareem explains “I’m excited by the opportunity to attend talks outside of my discipline, like astronomy and physics! Connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and being part of an environment that enriches me professionally and personally.”
Kareem is focusing his electives on behavioural finance, quantitative asset allocation, fixed income analysis and long-term investing to build a solid foundation in asset management, a field he intends to pursue and lead after graduation.
Being awarded the MFin scholarship means a great deal to me. It recognises the work I’ve put into my career so far and gives me the confidence to aim even higher. It also motivates me to give my absolute best this year both in the classroom and within the Cambridge community and to eventually pay it forward to others who follow a similar path.
Jemima Keren Gyamfi – Programme Scholarship
Jemima began her career at PwC Ghana as an Audit Associate and quickly rose to Assistant Audit Manager within 4 years. She led engagements across Energy, Utilities and Resources (EU&R), financial services, consumer business and public sector clients in Sub-Saharan Africa. She ensured International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) compliance, while delivering strategic insight to senior stakeholders. Outside her audit function, she spearheaded Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and early-morning knowledge sharing sessions for the EU&R practice. Her experiences honed her expertise in financial analysis, leadership, risk management and sustainable business practices, inspiring her transition toward sustainable investing and development finance, leading her to the Cambridge MFin.
“The Cambridge MFin stood out for its intensive one-year programme, deeply practical focus and cutting-edge electives in ESG integration, private equity and machine learning in finance.”
Several factors sealed her decision, including world-class faculty expertise in behavioural finance and green bonds, access to the wider Cambridge ecosystem, proximity to London and the diverse cohort.
“Above all, the programme is the ideal bridge to transform my compliance and risk-management skills into tools that tackle Africa’s biggest challenges through finance. Choosing Cambridge was not merely about academic pursuit; it was about immersing myself in an ecosystem where I am able to translate theoretical knowledge into real-world applications.”
She is especially excited about the hands-on elements of the programme, such as the Group Consulting Project (GCP), as well as extra-curricular activities beyond the classroom such as punting on the river Cam, exploring Cambridgeshire, participating in Special Interest Groups (SIGs) like the Cambridge African Business Network, College formals and actively contributing to the Cambridge University Finance and Investment Society (CUFIS).
Jemima aims to master advanced valuations, ESG analytics and strategic finance through her electives. She also hopes to complete an individual project on sustainable finance in emerging markets and secure a corporate finance role after the MFin, positioning herself for finance roles at multilateral development banks focused on budgeting, performance evaluation and investment operations.
She goes on to say “Ultimately, I intend to deploy this expertise to address Africa’s critical financial-development challenges, structuring and leading impact funds that channel capital into climate-resilient infrastructure, renewable energy and inclusive growth, delivering both strong financial returns and lasting continental impact.”
On receiving her scholarship, Jemima said:
“When the scholarship email arrived, I let out a quiet cheer, pure joy! As the only Ghanaian in this year’s cohort, this award feels profoundly validating and reminds me how much diverse perspectives matter in global finance. It lifts the financial weight, letting me pour myself fully into classes, projects and my role as Class Operations Representative.”
She then adds “It is rocket fuel for my ambitions and I am determined to honour it by excelling this year. Mentoring others and paying it forward by helping aspiring MFin students or guiding the next generation of African finance leaders.”
Above all, the programme is the ideal bridge to transform my compliance and risk-management skills into tools that tackle Africa’s biggest challenges through finance. Choosing Cambridge was not merely about academic pursuit; it was about immersing myself in an ecosystem where I am able to translate theoretical knowledge into real-world applications.
Ziqi Zhao – Women in Finance Scholarship
Ziqi began her career in Investment Banking at Bank of America in London, focusing on M&A execution across cross-border and multi-stakeholder transactions. This role provided a strong foundation in financial analysis, valuation and strategic decision-making under pressure. Previously, Ziqi gained experience in early-stage advisory and capital markets in research roles in Beijing and Shanghai. This exposed her to how companies scale and position themselves for investment opportunities. These experiences shaped her interest in understanding how capital allocation decisions drive long-term value.
She chose Cambridge to return to an academic environment that encourages reflection, dialogue and broad thinking beyond immediate deal work.
She explained “The MFin stood out for its practitioner-led teaching, experienced cohort and strong links to the global finance community. I was also drawn to the collaborative culture and the ability to learn alongside peers who have faced similar professional responsibilities, yet bring very different sector and geographic perspectives.”
She highlighted how the University of Cambridge’s Collegiate system adds another level to the MFin programme. “The Collegiate environment adds another dimension of intellectual and personal growth that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.”
Ziqi is most looking forward to learning from classmates from diverse sectors, exchanging perspectives that are both intellectually rigorous and grounded in real-world practices. She is also excited about participating in College life, including formal dinners, interdisciplinary events and engaging with the broader Cambridge community.
On her development goals, Ziqi said:
“I plan to take advantage of project-based learning, electives and practitioner seminars to explore private capital and long-term investing in more depth. This will support my goal of transitioning into a role where I can combine strategic perspective with disciplined financial assessment and ultimately contribute to building or investing in high-quality businesses.”
On receiving the scholarship, Ziqi said:
It reinforces my commitment to fully participate in the programme and to contribute to the MFin community, academically, professionally and through mentorship. It is a privilege to be supported and I hope to pay that forward
Thais Ayuso Deshmukh – Merit Scholarship and St Catharine’s Benavitch Scholarship
After completing her undergraduate degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics with a major in Economics from the University of Amsterdam, Thais found it challenging to pinpoint which sector of finance suited her skillset. At an exchange programme at the National University of Singapore, she was introduced to a cohort with diverse experiences which inspired her to pursue finance. This experience led her to the trading floor, where she developed her love for negotiation, debate and complex problem-solving.
After graduating, she joined UBS Investment Bank as a salesperson on the trading floor, marketing rates derivatives and structured products to clients from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. During her time at UBS, she learnt to navigate the interests of her clients and traders while dissecting complex derivatives.
“My learning curve was steep but my dedication was strong, culminating in a promotion to Analyst one year ahead of the rest of my graduate cohort.”
After 3 years, Thais reflected on what inspired her to join finance. The exchange of ideas with experienced students from various backgrounds helped her grow her ambitions and make informed decisions. This led her to the Cambridge MFin.
“The reputation of the University of Cambridge as well as the MFin being one of the few post-experience Masters programmes, Cambridge was my first choice.”
On what makes the MFin unique she said:
“The MFin not only allows me to deepen my technical and quantitative skills but also provides me with a stimulating and diverse environment to learn from my experienced classmates.”
What really appealed to Thais was the first-hand exposure through the City Speaker Series. She explains that this will provide insights from respected and experienced professionals from various financial sectors.
On the impact of her scholarship:
“I am able to fully immerse myself in the offerings of the programme. Knowing that I have the support of Cambridge Judge Business School, I am able to confidently explore different areas of finance still unfamiliar to me, allowing me to grow my skillset and knowledge beyond that of most people in the industry.”
The reputation of the University of Cambridge as well as the MFin being one of the few post-experience Masters programmes, Cambridge was my first choice.
Learn more about the MFin scholars in the 2025 cohort
Kareem Magdy
Recipient of the MFin Programme Scholarship, Kareem, brings experience across corporate and investment banking, wealth management and consulting in the Middle East and Switzerland. At Cambridge, he’s building technical depth for a future leadership role, with a focus on asset management.
Jemima Keren Gyamfi
Jemima, recipient of the MFin Programme Scholarship, is a former PwC Assistant Audit Manager with experience leading multi-sector audits across Sub-Saharan Africa. At Cambridge, she’s pivoting into sustainable investing and development finance, building ESG and valuation skills to drive impact funds in Africa.
Ziqi Zhao
Recipient of the MFin Women in Finance Scholarship, Ziqi, previously worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Bank of America in London, executing cross-border M&A. At Cambridge, she’s broadening her investment toolkit to transition into private capital and long-term investing.
Thais Ayuso Deshmukh
Thais is a recipient of both the MFin Merit Scholarship and the St Catharine’s Benavitch Scholarship. Thais previously worked in rates sales at UBS. At Cambridge, she’s widening her technical toolkit and exploring broader areas of finance beyond the trading floor.
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