How a Warwick MSc shaped a Bank of China analyst's approach to decision-making

When Edward Huang left his hometown on Taiwan’s northern coast – “a little town… only one hour away from the capital” – he was chasing more than a degree. He was looking for a way to do things differently.

Now, as a Project Finance Analyst in London's financial district, working on oil, gas and renewable energy deals across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, he credits one module in particular at Warwick Business School with reshaping how he approaches problems, people and his own future.

That module – Judgement and Decision Making – was, he says, “really eye-opening and interesting”.

So much so that it has become the intellectual thread running through his career since completing the MSc Business & Finance in 2023.  

The Warwick campus

Edward had already spent nearly three years at HSBC Taiwan before deciding to pursue a Master’s degree abroad. He had long wanted to study overseas, and the UK’s one-year postgraduate structure and what he calls the “UK vibe” made it the right fit.

The University of Warwick, in particular, reminded him of his undergraduate experience at National Chi Nan University in Taiwan, which had “a lot of green space and a community where everybody felt like part of the family”.

Warwick, he says, felt like “the advanced version” of that environment – a self-contained campus with energy, activity and a strong sense of belonging. Even now, working in London, he still returns to alumni events “every month or so,” finding the network valuable for staying connected to peers and industry contacts.

A course that blends technical rigour with human insight

The MSc Business & Finance is known for its quantitative intensity, and Edward thrived in modules such as Financial Reporting & Statement Analysis. He recalls the satisfaction of ranking in the top three of this cohort for the final project, which involved valuation work using the Bloomberg and Refinitiv financial databases.

“That one was really practical….. the most useful,” he says, noting how directly it feeds into his current role analysing company financials for large-scale project financing.

But it was the elective in Judgement and Decision Making that left the deepest mark. Amid the spreadsheets and models, this module asked students to examine the psychology behind choices – their own and others’.

“The professor used everyday scenarios, often nothing to do with business,” says Edward. “This challenged us to examine how decisions were made and the rationale behind them?”.

For Edward, this was revelatory. It gave him a framework for understanding not just decisions in the financial markets, but interpersonal ones – a skill he now uses daily.

Decision-making as a career and life tool

In his current role at Bank of China, Edward works on complex, multinational project finance deals. The technical skills he gained at WBS are essential, but he says the decision-making module has become a quiet superpower.

He uses it to interpret the motivations of colleagues and senior leaders: “I try to ask myself why other people have made certain decisions. For example, why my boss is making a particular decision – what’s the rationale behind it?”

This ability to step back, analyse incentives and anticipate reactions has helped him navigate the high-stakes, cross-cultural environment of global finance. It has also shaped his long-term thinking. As the energy sector transitions, he would like to be involved in more project finance deals for renewable energy initiatives.

Perhaps more unexpectedly, the module has influenced his personal life. Edward describes using its principles to structure his time and weigh up priorities.

He often asks himself: Why am I choosing this? What’s the logic behind it? “It’s more for my personal growth,” he says. “What makes me make this decision or that one?”

Living in London has accelerated this reflective approach. Although he socialises a lot with WBS friends who live in the city too, he has also learned to enjoy solitude, to run in the city’s parks and along its canals, and to “appreciate the little things.” He describes becoming “more positive… more mature” as he reflects on his decisions and future direction.

Becoming a ‘Change Maker’

Looking back at his time at WBS, Edward is quick to credit the MSc CareersPlus & Employer Relations team for helping him secure his first role in the UK. He recalls being nervous about speaking English and facing virtual interviews, but the careers coaches supported him steadfastly in improving those skills.

The combination of structured preparation, mock assessments and personalised feedback gave him the confidence to succeed in a competitive graduate market.

He also recalls how the WBS brand – for the Change Makers – resonated with him when he served as a student ambassador. Today, he sees it as a personal descriptor. Moving to the UK, switching industries from auditing to finance, and building a new life abroad were all decisions that required courage and clarity.

“Those decisions definitely changed my life,” he says. “I would do it all again. It was definitely worth it.”

For Edward, the MSc Business & Finance was not just an academic qualification. It was a catalyst – one that taught him how to think in different ways and how to shape the direction of his life.

Discover more about Warwick Business School’s Master's Courses.