What is your name?
Kevin Francis Marcaida
Where are you from?
I was born in Manila, Philippines, and currently reside in a small town in Suffolk, England.
To which class do you belong?
MSc Translational Neuroscience, Class of 2021
Where and what did you study before joining Imperial College London?
I did my undergraduate in BSc Biomedical Science at the University of Essex and graduated in 2019. I specialised in drug discovery and development. After this, I studied and passed the Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) designation at the Corporate Finance Institute. I wanted to combine two of my passions – Science and Business, so I decided to take the MSc Translational Neuroscience course
How did you find your Master experience at the College?
The Master’s program is very stimulating and challenging because of the wide variety of theoretical content, which challenged me to approach each lesson with an open mind. The professors were friendly and inspiring as they went above and beyond accommodating student needs, despite the ongoing pandemic. I thought the program was insightful as it delves deep into relevant and upcoming issues in neuroscience and biotechnology, where we are exposed to contrasting views to get a balanced understanding of the field. Overall, I really enjoyed this course, and I recommend it to anyone wanting to study.
Which research project did you work on?
I was a Data Analyst for the MS Register, a UK-wide database supported and funded by the NHS and MS Society. I worked with Dr Richard Nicolas and Dr Jeff Rodgers on the largest European investigation on the long-term efficacy of therapeutics and drug repurposing candidates on multiple sclerosis patients. I am fortunate enough to soon publish my work in an abstract and research journal on Sage Publications and was subsequently invited to speak at the 2021 Vienna ECTRIMS Congress.
Where are you now?
I’m currently the Equity Research Lead at a Shanghai-based fintech company ChineseAlpha.
What are you working on?
I am responsible for leading a team of analysts to produce comprehensive reports of small to mid-cap publicly traded companies, where I specialise in analysing pharmaceutical and technology businesses. I regularly meet C-level executives and managing directors to develop synergistic joint ventures whilst playing a lead role in the company’s strategic development.
With the reputation I’ve developed, I am regularly featured as a business commentator on Reuters, Fortune Magazine and US News and Reports on trending financial news. I am also invited to guest lecture at over 20 universities across the US and UK, some of which include Imperial College London, University of Cambridge and Yale University
What is the most important lesson you learnt as a Master student?
The importance of personal branding and networking effectively. I learnt that networking is more than just a “connection” but the opportunity to build long-term tangible relationships based on mutual value creation and friendship. These tools have been a great way to showcase my achievements – and differentiate myself on what I bring to the table, which has unlocked hidden opportunities
How did the Master programme help you get to where you are now?
The programme honed my ability to read and interpret research articles more effectively by being constantly exposed to a variety of publications in different fields. This is particularly useful in Biotech equity research, where the analyst must efficiently deduce the primary drivers behind research themes to accurately forecast the performance of a project, company, or industry. This skill has helped me land various internships at J.P Morgan and Citibank and my current position at ChineseAlpha.