Brandeis International Business School

Ezra Levine, MSF’11: Tough days are there to beat

Ezra Levine and Nikolaos Papavramidis
Why did you choose Brandeis International Business School for your master’s degree?

After 17 years of work experience, I decided to study for an MSF, and the opportunity to meet people from all parts of the globe and study cases oriented to the global environment was fantastic. I'm keenly interested in international capital markets, so a primary motivation was the diversification and the international exposure the school provides. 

Which courses did you particularly enjoy?

Professor John Ballantine’s "Global Economic Environment" was a great class that allowed students to gain a unique global perspective on contemporary economic issues. I recall a class where Chinese students debated African students on the merits of the Chinese government’s claim to natural resources in return for the Chinese government funding initiatives that were potentially beneficial to local residents.

What was your career path leading up to your current role?

After graduation from Northeastern University, I worked as an equity trader in Mexico City. My favorite career moment was my first trade as an equity trader in Mexico City. It was something I'll never forget, because it was a new experience for me. I later returned to Boston to work in various money management firms until I joined the investment management firm Arrowstreet Capital.

What are your day-to-day responsibilities there?

The best part of my job is that it’s not routine. Each day I have different tasks, ranging from constructing portfolios to sharing performance results with clients to client prospecting.

Do you have any advice for someone entering your field?

Especially for Arrowstreet, which does a lot quantitative analysis in order to construct portfolios, I would say that embracing technical skills, including both math and computer skills, is paramount. This advantage combined with candidates’ motivation to work hard is essential to success in the industry. Also, I’ve always worked with people smarter than I was. This is the greatest way to improve yourself.

Program
Master of Science in Finance (MSF)

Job Title
Partner

Employer
Arrowstreet Capital