James Hart

I am seeking a more fulfilling career hence my decision to leave the FMCG industry, I believe for my own career satisfaction it is crucial I am involved in meaningful work. Upon reflection the components of work and study I have found most interesting and rewarding all involved a large degree of autonomy and it is this principle which is guiding my job search. 

Investment Banking Internship at J.P Morgan – This involved work in identifying M&A targets, financial forecasting as well as identifying and mitigating potential risks to the valuation of the company. The work involved assessing a variety of companies and assessing their suitability based on various factors such as current ownership, EBITDA and geographical factors, making recommendations based on this as well as preparing valuations based on discounted cash flows.

Junior Product Manager at Reckitt Benckiser (RB) – During my time at RB I worked on the Gaviscon brand. My main responsibilities involved managing key elements of a new product launch (Guardium). I worked closely with the consumer insights team to align brand strategy with consumer behavioural trends. I also worked with a variety of stakeholders across the business to manage supply challenges, product redesign as well as launching specific brand extensions to meet online consumer demand. As well as this I spent time in the digital media team where I gained insights into media strategy across different brands such as Nurofen, Dettol and Lemsip and how budgets and content could be optimised to drive consumption. As well as this I was part of the diversity and inclusion society as part of which we introduced a new initiative to improve connection across different departments as well as running events to promote the importance of mental wellbeing across the company. 

I have a first class degree in Business Economics from the University of Exeter, this included modules in accounting, finance, statistics as well as writing a full business plan for a social enterprise.