“When I applied to the Stern MSRM program, my goal was to challenge myself to expand my knowledge base in various risk management disciplines and build my network beyond work colleagues,” says Omosuyi (Suyi) Aigbogun, a Vice President in Goldman Sachs’ Internal Audit department. “I achieved both goals by the time I graduated.”  
 
Suyi came to Stern with a background in accounting, financial and regulatory reporting and hoped the program could build his understanding of key risk management concepts. “I am driven by my desire to learn about new solutions to existing problems, and as my role and responsibilities expanded with my organization, I recognized I needed to have these tools to continue to make meaningful contributions and impact,” he says. 
 
The program delivered, as the curriculum tapped into the many components of risk management that interest Suyi and helped him build his understanding and skillset in those areas. “I am most intrigued by behavior finance, which focuses on the influence of psychology on the behavior of investors or financial analysts.  Insights in this area during the program helped me better understand how certain key business decisions can be made.”  Additionally, Suyi says that during the program he became a “more active listener” in meetings at Goldman Sachs where key risk management matrixes were analyzed. “This helped me connect dots among processes and controls within the organization faster and easier.”     
 
Suyi accomplished his second goal of building a broader network of non-industry colleagues immediately, and he credits his diverse cohort for many of his “a-ha” moments during the program. “I was very fortunate to find myself among individuals with a very diverse background professionally and also culturally.  Discussions in class were based off of lived experiences, and I learned more about the insurance, mortgage and asset management industries and the risk exposure involved in each,” he says. “Members of my cohort and I continue to keep in contact with each other, share information and leverage each other’s background to solve current issues.”
 
Suyi reflects on another highlight of the program, which were the unique opportunities afforded the students outside of the classroom: “One that stands out the most to me was when I was asked to ring the opening gong at the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.   It seems cheesy, but it’s representative of the efforts the program made to ensure we had experiences beyond the classroom.” 
 
Suyi has seen an immediate value add from the program to his career, as he is able to “engage in topics or concepts that I previously could not,” and his experience has already opened up learning opportunities and career growth possibilities within his role at Goldman Sachs.  “I intend to continue to build on the skills and experiences I have, contribute, and grow within whatever organization I find myself in,” he says.  “The knowledge and experiences gained as well as the network built is unmeasurable. I see myself benefiting from my investment in Stern for many years to come.”