A Deloitte initiative aimed at unearthing new talent is providing dissertation support to a student the firm hopes will eventually join its actuarial practice.

Heriot Watt postgraduate Xiaodan (Candy) Zhu is currently working in Deloitte’s Glasgow office producing her dissertation on ‘Risk Measures and Fair Allocation of Risk Capital’. Chinese-born Candy, who lives in Glasgow, is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Caroline Twomey who made the same path from university to Deloitte two years ago. 

Deloitte’s Actuarial & Insurance Solutions offering has grown rapidly over the last two years with a team of 10 in Scotland now supporting the 150-strong UK-wide practice.

Derek Wright, Partner in Actuarial & Insurance Solutions for Deloitte, who is heading up the scheme, said: “Projects such as these not only help us target some of the best emerging talent in the country but also helps Deloitte raise its profile as an actuarial employer.

“Two years ago we offered the same opportunity to Caroline (Twomey) who has since joined Deloitte and proved to be a great asset to the firm. If this latest project works out as well, Candy will be formally interviewed and if she shows herself to be a suitable candidate, she will be offered a position as an actuarial student for when she has gained her Masters” he said.

Candy’s MSc Financial Mathematics studies at Heriot-Watt are due to finish next month, with her dissertation being the final element required to complete her course. The Master of Science qualification focuses on the mathematical ideas and tools needed in the finance industry, coupled with the development of the key background mathematics of stochastic calculus.

Candy said: “I am delighted that Deloitte agreed to support me with my dissertation which is a significant and challenging element of the course. This will provide me with invaluable practical experience and a great insight into how the actuarial function of a business operates, particularly at such an established firm as Deloitte.

“The incentive, as well as to complete my studies, is to impress enough that it provides a further selling point on my CV and improves my position as a prospective employee for a firm like Deloitte” she said.

Actuarial science is the application of mathematical and statistical methods to finance and insurance, particularly to risk assessment. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through examinations and experience.

Earlier this year Deloitte was named as the best consulting firm for graduates at the Target National Graduate Recruitment Awards and won the 2006/7 Personnel Today Awards for Excellence in Graduate Recruitment.

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In this press release references to Deloitte are references to Deloitte & Touche LLP, which is among the country's leading professional services firms.  Deloitte & Touche is the United Kingdom member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu ("DTT"), a Swiss Verein whose member firms are separate and independent legal entities.  Neither DTT nor any of its member firms has any liability for each other's acts or omissions.  Services are provided by member firms or their subsidiaries and not by DTT.  Deloitte & Touche LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.