Cesar VALERO DIAZ

Cesar VALERO DIAZ – Mexico – MSc Banking and International Finance

Why did you choose TBS and the MSc Banking and International Finance?

The process of looking for a Master’s program to pursue in France and financing options took me about two years. During this period, I attended several “Do your master’s abroad/in France” events in my hometown of Monterrey and noticed that TBS was consistently and actively present in this type of events. What’s more, after I approached them, I was attracted by the information that the recruiter kindly provided about the school, the program, and the city of Toulouse itself, and by the guidance and advise they were able to offer when answering my specific questions.

[…] I was drawn to the MSc. Banking & International Finance program at TBS, which offered a more wholistic view of finance by covering a broad spectrum of subjects and, consequently, a wider range of possible career paths upon completion.

[…] I decided to choose TBS and their program given that they were much more flexible towards my needs as I awaited the results of a scholarship I applied to. 

How has the MSc Banking and International Finance helped you?

I think that the programme has noticeably contributed to my growth at the professional and personal levels. It is designed and managed in such a way that it makes an effort to introduce to students vital tools of the trade (such as the basics of Excel VBA and of the Bloomberg terminals), it provides highly qualified and motivated full-time professors that inspire us to strive for more, and it dedicates resources towards organizing job fairs and other events and making online resources available to students in order to help them in their search for internships and entry into the job market.

In addition to this, I think that this programme has contributed greatly to my personal growth by opening the door to coming to Europe and meeting amazing people from myriad cultures and backgrounds (a factor I think is further facilitated by the school offering the program in English). This opportunity to travel out of my “comfort zone” and be exposed to such high degree of diversity is, from my point of view, priceless.

What did you think about the admission process and the admissions team?

Admission processes tend to be stressful and cumbersome, as prospective students spend hours doing research – at times in sources not in their native language -, undergoing bureaucratic formalities and gathering documents, drafting and polishing CVs and cover letters, struggling to meet deadlines, etc. At the end, however, I believe that the effort invested and sacrifices made are worth the opportunity of pursuing a master’s degree and the fruits that come from it.

That being said, I must also admit that this process was greatly alleviated by the considerate and supportive staff of TBS’s admission team. They were kind, flexible, responsive, and, overall, very helpful the whole time. I was also quite touched by the fact that the main contact I had during the application/admissions process went through the trouble of looking for me amongst the throngs of new students during the week of integration to say hello in person.

What did you think about Toulouse city and our TBS campus?

I fell in love with “the Pink City” almost immediately. I’ve had the opportunity to live in a couple of other French cities – during an academic exchange a few years ago and now for my internship – both of which I very much like, but I think that they did not cast a spell on me quite as quickly or quite as profoundly as Toulouse did.  I’m not sure of whether it was the tranquility of walks along the Garonne, the excitement of exploring the myriad of interesting little restaurants and cafés lining the streets around the majestic Capitole, the opportunity to experience various facets of art and culture through the many, many events – free or quite affordable – offered in the city, or the palpable “student vibe” that characterizes Toulouse that really sealed the deal for me (it was probably a mixture of these, and other, factors), but I very much liked the city and the location of the TBS Campus.

What’s your current position and company name?

I am currently an intern in controlling for the EMEA region at bioMérieux SA.

How did the EIFFEL scholarship help you to reach your goal?

I am extremely grateful to the school for agreeing to nominate me as an Eiffel scholar and to Campus France (and by extension, the French government), for granting me the generous scholarship, as it made it possible for me to pursue this dream. Quite simply, without this scholarship I would not have had the means to come to France for my studies.