Visiting Rutgers Business School: Understanding more about financial ethics

MSc Finance & Economics student Bodin David Eden shares his experience of travelling to the USA to visit Rutgers Business School, and understanding more about ethics in the world of finance.

I am originally from Thailand, and I studied for my undergraduate degree at the London School of Economics. After completing my undergraduate degree I decided to pursue a Master's degree in Finance and Economics to become an expert in finance. Throughout my studies at WBS I have learnt how to use financial concepts, and apply them practically to coursework projects.

Ethical Leadership to Blockchain

During my Masters course I had the opportunity to visit Rutgers Business School in New Jersey. The main purpose of the trip was to exchange knowledge on themes of financial ethics, focusing on the application of new financial technologies including blockchain. Whilst at Rutgers Business School I was taught by Professor Joanne Ciulla about the philosophy of leadership ethics. I also discovered more about emerging technologies within finance by Dr Chris Young, and I learnt about CFA ethics from Mark Guthner.

Financial Ethics from different perspectives

Whilst visiting Rutgers Business School I was able to engage with the academics and challenge their ideas and viewpoints on different topics such as firms moving to low-tax countries, and whether this is considered as unethical. I feel that I have expanded my knowledge, and I have a better understanding of financial ethics from a different countries perspective. Throughout my time at Rutgers Business School I felt most inspired by Dr Chris Young who gave a presentation on his new business venture which utilises blockchain to rank online news to solve the recent issue of 'fake news' which is so prevalent in the USA. It was an innovative and engaging presentation, and it was enlightening to see technology being used in this way. 

Exploring New York City

The trip to Rutgers Business School took place over five days, so I made the most of exploring Newark. I visited local restaurants to experience American cuisine, as well as travelling to Manhattan to explore the infamous tourist sites such as Times Square, New York. At the end of the week I visited Credit Suisse, and observed the working environment on their trading floors. It was a truly eye-opening experience to visit a leading financial services company. On my last day I went on a ferry tour which circled around the Statue of Liberty, and provided amazing views of the New York skyline. Overall, my favourite part of the trip was definitely going to the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Modern Art. Visiting both museums was a great experience, I saw the Starry Night painting by Van Gough at Museum of Morden Art, which was a fantastic highlight of my trip. My trip to Rutgers Business School was an invaluable experience as I was able to immerse myself in a whole new culture, gained knowledge in financial ethics, and got to explore New York City.

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