Unlocking careers in business analysis
About the event
Join the University of Surrey and IIBA UK for an engaging in-person event designed to help students and professionals explore thriving career pathways in business analysis. Whether you're a student, early-career professional, or seasoned analyst, this event offers invaluable insights from industry leaders and peers who have recently navigated this journey.
What to expect
- Real career stories: gain firsthand insights from industry leads and professionals who have successfully transitioned into business analysis in the last few years. Learn from their experiences, challenges, and successes.
- Panel discussion: hear from leading voices in the industry as they discuss options to build and progress a career in the changing landscape of business analysis, sharing invaluable practical advice.
- Networking opportunities: connect with professionals, industry experts, and fellow attendees in dedicated networking sessions designed to help you build valuable relationships.
Location and agenda
Location: Conference Room, Innovation for Health Building
16:00 - Networking and getting ready for a 16:30 start
16:30 - Welcome - Dr Dimitris Giraleas (University of Surrey) and Adriana Silva (IIBA UK)
16:40 - Introduction to IIBA membership and certifications with Andy Grazebrook
17:15 - An earlier career's journey into analysis, with Stuart Ecuyer (Methods)
18:00 - Comfort break and refreshments
18:30 - Careers in business analysis, with Leanne Pereira, Siyi Gao, Claire Elliott and Elizabeth Ezewulu (Nationwide)
19:15 - Panel discussion: unlocking careers in business analysis, with Dr Dimitris Giraleas, Stuart Ecuyer, Jemima Maxted, Charlotte Neill and Nationwide representatives.
20:00: networking and refreshments
Secure Your Spot!
*** This event is now sold out! If you would like us to add your name to the waiting list, please request it via email to communitylondon-e@uk.iiba.org ***
This event is free to attend and refreshments will be provided. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights, expand your professional network, and be part of a transformative discussion on the future of business analysis. Register now!
Speakers
Dr Dimitris Giraleas
Dr Dimitris Giraleas is the Programme Director of the BSc in Business Management and Business Analytics and a Senior Lecturer in Business Analytics. He specialises in applied Statistics, the foundations of Business Analytics and Performance Analytics. He has more than 10 years of experience designing and leading quantitative business courses and modules across a number of UK institutions and organisations, such as the NHS and DSTL.
Prior to joining academia, Dimitris was an Economics Consultant; he is still very active in the field of consulting, having now more than 20 years of experience in the field, mainly as an Academic Associate working for Utility companies and their Regulators in the UK and Europe.
Stuart Ecuyer
As the Principal Business Analyst at Methods, Stuart Ecuyer and his team are driving innovation in early careers pathways for aspiring Business Analysts. Their session, An Early Careers Journey into Analysis, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how Methods developed their BA Academy, a structured programme designed to help Junior Business Analysts take their first professional steps. Stuart and some of the Junior BA's from the Academy will talk about what they learnt from delivering and participating in the programme and how they have turned the theory into delivering Business Analysis as practitioners.
Charlotte Neill
Charlotte is a Digital Business Analyst who has worked at Whitbread for the past two years. She primarily sits in the Apps team working closely with the Product Manager and development team to deliver new and exciting features to the Premier Inn app. Prior to this, Charlotte was a Business Analyst at Costa Coffee where she worked on various projects across a variety of channel including web, app and POS.
Claire Elliott
Claire Elliott is a Business Analyst at Nationwide. She got her degree in English Literature from Southampton in 2019 and joined Nationwide on the Change Development Programme in 2022, before starting her current role in Savings. Day-to-day she works with development teams and stakeholders from the business to identify opportunities to deliver value, shape work for the teams, identify risks and controls, elicit and write requirements, and ensure the business is ready for change. She looks forward to sharing her experience and welcoming any questions!
Leanne Pereira
Leanne Pereira is a Business Analyst on the Change Skill Development Programme at Nationwide. She graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in BSc Business and Management, and since joining the scheme, she has developed key business analyst skills, including stakeholder management, process mapping, data analysis and effective communication. She is passionate about using analytical thinking to solve real-world problems and improve customer and business outcomes. She will be happy to share her experience, so feel free to come say hello and ask any questions!
Siyi Gao
Siyi Gao is part of the Nationwide Change Development Programme as a Business Analyst, where she has been gaining hands-on experience across a variety of projects. She comes from a background in accounting and finance, which enables her to bring a structured and analytical mindset to her work. She is particularly interested in how digital transformation can improve customer experience and business efficiency, and she is currently working on initiatives to enhance customer authentication journeys within the banking app: with focus is on bridging the gap between user needs and business goals, using a combination of data analysis, business process mapping, and clear cross-team communication to define and refine identity verification processes - making them more secure, seamless, and user-friendly.
Elizabeth Ezewulu
Elizabeth Ezewulu has recently rolled off Nationwide's Change Development Programme as a Business Analyst in Payments. She completed placements in two business areas: Mortgages & Financial well-being, and Payments. She has an undergraduate degree in Economics from Loughborough, and she is also completing a business transformation apprenticeship with a company called Multiverse in the upcoming month. She found the BA role was the right fit for her as she was looking for a role that involved problem solving, stakeholder engagement and management, and analysis of people, organisations and processes. She is looking forward to sharing her experience!
