Di Ai (Addie)
Country of origin: China
MSc Course: MSc Quantitative Finance
Graduation year: 2015
Published in 2025
“Being at Bayes started a chain reaction which kickstarted my career”
“There are great business schools all over the world, but if you are trying to transition into a new career very quickly, there's no better location than London.”
Addie Ai is reflecting on her decision to join Bayes Business School in 2014, then known as Cass Business School.
“When I was applying for graduate school, I was focusing on big financial centres in New York and in London. Cass was one of the very few on my list. It has a great academic reputation and a location right in the heart of the financial district.”
Following her bachelor’s degree in Public Finance at Nankai University, in Tianjin, China, Addie relocated to London for the MSc Quantitative Finance.
“I always say I found my home in London. I have my friends, my colleagues, my mentors. It's a great city - so vibrant and diverse. Everywhere you go, you'll hear eight languages. It is a really fun city as well. The opportunities London offers to a finance professional, I think, are the best in Europe, if not the world.”
Choosing Quantitative Finance
“After graduating from my first degree, I gained a year’s experience in investment banking. I knew I was good at maths, and that I wanted to focus more on that. I started looking at postgraduate courses in financial mathematics and quantitative finance especially. It intrigued me – I thought it would strengthen what I am good at while doing something new in financial markets.”
“One thing which attracted me to Bayes was that many of the professors came from an industry background. They had experience working in Wall Street and the City of London, and now they were teaching me – I think that is invaluable for students.”
“The master’s laid the foundation for me to get into the market, and I still use a lot of what I learned on the course – such as the module on derivative pricing.”
Networking and career development
Addie also benefitted from the support of the Careers Service, as well as the extensive networking opportunities with people working in the industry.
“A one-year programme is actually really short and when I started, I wasn’t thinking that I should already be looking for a job. But all the things that the Careers Service offer really helped. They reviewed my CV, gave me guidance and helped me prepare for interviews.”
“Bayes provided very good networking opportunities. There were alumni meet-ups, there were career fairs and industry events. I actually got my first internship through a networking event held by Bayes. Through that internship, I met my future boss at a Venture Capital (VC) firm. That's how I got my first job. It's the chain reaction which led me here today.”
Accelerated career progress
After graduation Addie spent four years with the VC firm, before joining a rapidly growing AI start-up, where she established the finance function.
Today, Addie’s primary role is with an investment company, Ningbo QiaoSen Investment Fund Management LLP, which she co-founded with two partners in China. They focus on advanced manufacturing companies.
“Previously, if something was ‘Made in China’ it would have a bad reputation. But over the past 30 years – especially since China joined the World Trade Organisation – that has really changed. Now it is home to very high-quality advanced manufacturing.”
“We discover these companies, and we invest in them. I think a lot of them are still undervalued because not enough attention has been brought to them, especially on a global level. With my partners in China we fundraise, firstly, from family and friends, and from institutions as well.”
“Although I am now based in Seattle, I travel to China every quarter. My main job is investor relations, from fundraising to investor reporting. We report on a monthly basis, but every quarter, we sit down with our investors and update them on how their investments are doing.”
As well as the advanced manufacturing sector, Addie is now turning her attention to two areas where she sees real growth potential.
“AI is exciting, but it will never replace a physical presence in the labour market. Instead, I think robotics has huge potential and in the next three to five years that is going to make a huge leap forward. That’s a great investment area for anybody interested.”
“Another exciting area is energy. In recent years ESG is coming back in force. Right now, renewables still have a much lower return on investment, compared to traditional fuels. There’s a lot of work to be done on that front to make sure we have a stable large-scale clean energy output for our ever-growing demand.”
Navigating different cultures
Having lived and worked in China, London and the US, Addie is now adept at navigating the different cultures and their approaches to business.
“I have learnt over time. I moved from China when I was 23, and I needed time to adjust. It was the same for my studies at Bayes.”
“We never had to really do coursework in my Chinese studies. At Bayes the level of collaboration with others was new to me. I enjoyed that because you have to quickly find your role in the team and do your part.”
“Another difference is how the lectures are structured. In China the professor would teach and we would just listen. At Bayes, we were really encouraged to think and get involved in a discussion, to share our views and experiences.”
“I used to be very shy in a public setting, but now I am definitely not afraid to speak up and share what I think. My time at Bayes gave me the confidence to start opening up.”
Increasing demand for QF graduates
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the MSc Quantitative Finance at Bayes (hyperlink to web story). Addie graduated 10 years ago and has seen the sector develop.
“From my experience, Quantitative Finance is in more demand than before, especially as technology has advanced and computing power has increased. A course in Quantitative Finance opens a lot of different paths. Some classmates went on to work in risk management in banks, or hedge funds and other investment companies.”
Even if you don't come from a maths or engineering background, the MSc Quantitative Finance is a great springboard for you to jump into this space.
Addie has advice for anyone thinking of taking a master’s at Bayes:
“The time flies by so fast, so think hard in advance about what you want to get out of the course. Planning ahead is important to make sure you get the full amount from what Bayes has to offer.”
“I definitely benefited, and I am very grateful that I made the right choice to join Bayes. It really helped me to land smoothly at the start of my career.”