Introducing Kieran Richards
Kieran graduated cum laude from the BA International Studies with specialisation in East Asia. He went on exchange to Hong Kong and wrote his thesis on Minorities and Identity in Japanese Political Thought. After graduation, he moved to London to start an MSc in Asian Politics at SOAS University.

Why did you choose to do the MSc in Asian Politics at SOAS University?
I really wanted to do continue studying after the BA International Studies, due to the positive experiences I had at Leiden. But as a typical International Studies student, I’m not the kind of person who wants to stay in one place for too long and wanted to try living in London. I chose Asian Politics because I wanted to study East Asia more deeply, and allowing me to apply the knowledge that I learnt at Leiden. I wrote my dissertation on The Financial Crisis in South Korea.

How did you find your job as FX MM Investigator at BNP Paribas and what does it entail?
I found my job through an agency called FDM Group that provided me with some training and helped me find interviews at BNP Paribas. In my job, I handle incidents on Forex trades. Forex or FX is short for the foreign exchange market: the global decentralized market for the trading of currencies. This market determines the foreign exchange rate. It includes all aspects of buying, selling and exchanging currencies at current or determined prices.

I manage operational risk for the bank. It involves handling customer and trader enquiries and correcting erroneous payments that often go to the wrong place or should not have been paid at all. Then we work to improve the internal processes to prevent future issues. I learnt a lot here as I studied the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis in depth at Leiden and now I work with many of the products that were responsible for that crisis. 

How do you look back at your time at International Studies? 
I now realise how well structured and thought through the course is. You graduate with a full set of analytical skills that prepared me for my masters and for working life. Particularly when writing my master's thesis, I found that I had the research skills and the writing skills that many others lacked.

Do you have advice for current students and new alumni of International Studies?
Looking back at my time at Leiden University I also realise that I could have definitely made more use if the international institutions and NGOs around The Hague. My friends who now work in that sector are always looking for eager students who are eager to help out with the tasks that they don't always have time for, so this is a tip I would like to give to current students of International Studies.

To new alumni I would advise to continue studying what interests you. I am the envy of my colleagues who chose studies to get them a career when now they learn that BNP are willing to hire someone like me who spent four years studying subjects that genuinely interest me. This is also why I intend to stay open minded to fresh career opportunities that come my way!

Find all alumni dreams
Sarita Koendjbiharie regularly publishes new Alumni Dreams on her LinkedIn profile, send her a connection request and stay up to date. All Alumni Dreams are also published on the new website This Is International Studies, which has an Alumni Section containing interesting information.