Executive MBA (EMBA) graduate Tharidu Gamwara (EMBA 2017) is now Vice President – Business Manager, Currencies and Emerging Markets Trading for J.P. Morgan
Tharidu Gamwara, an EMBA participant at Cambridge Judge Business School between 2017 and 2019, was recently promoted to a new role at financial services organisation J.P. Morgan.
Speaking on his new role, Tharidu says: “This is a role that can be best described as a Chief Operating Officer (COO) role for a large global trading business within Currencies and Emerging Markets. It is offered to individuals that have demonstrated an array of skills, including a strong understanding of the business.”
In this new role, Tharidu is responsible for ensuring efficient execution of strategic revenue opportunities for the trading business by partnering with several groups within the investment bank, including sales and trading, technology, finance, operations, legal and compliance.
“I’m ultimately responsible for reducing time to market for the business’s value propositions,” says Tharidu. “The role covers multiple asset classes, including foreign exchange and interest rates. I am also responsible for leading cross-line business initiatives within the business management/COO space for the Global Currencies and Emerging Markets trading business in the new role.”
Joining the company as an Associate in 2011, Tharidu carved out a niche in currencies and emerging markets. By 2016, he was working as the Vice President of the department, aged just 26.
The programme at Cambridge helped me grow as a professional
Tharidu joined the Cambridge Executive MBA programme in 2017 with the goal of strengthening the skills he needed to build value for J.P. Morgan.
“I was looking for tools to progress and push upwards within my current organisation. Studying for an Executive MBA, rather than additional training in fields I already specialise in, prepared me for increased, cross-function responsibilities.”
“The programme at Cambridge helped me strengthen the core strategic-thinking skills I needed to push upwards in my organisation towards Executive Director and ultimately Managing Director corporate grades. It helped me diversify my knowledge into new fields and challenged my perspectives.”
Developing new approaches
For his Individual Project, Tharidu explored the impact of machine learning and AI on foreign exchange (FX) options trading. He developed this concept by considering novel ways to add value to his employer’s business. Conscious of J.P. Morgan’s strategy to further “electronify” its trading business, Tharidu developed his project with this is mind. The innovations he proposed, and his intrapreneurial approach, were instrumental in securing his new role at the organisation.
“Every module on the Executive MBA taught me something,” says Tharidu. “Marketing Management, Strategic Management, Corporate Finance. I’m somewhat biased towards the finance modules but learning and listening to lecturers at Cambridge introduced me to new concepts and ways of thinking about my profession.”
As one of the youngest participants on the programme, Tharidu was keen to learn about how his colleagues overcame challenges and barriers through their careers and met personal and professional goals.
“The level of ambition within my cohort was a big plus for me during my Cambridge experience. Many of my fellow participants have achieved incredible things throughout their careers – I’ve loved finding out what makes them tick, how they manage their careers, and how they’re achieving success and longevity. Truly connections for life.”
So, as he graduates this year, what advice does Tharidu have for prospective participants?
“Studying at Cambridge was a personal ambition of mine for a long time. Make the most of the incredible city, network and opportunities that are available to you here and see what you can learn from everybody you meet.”