Movies or tv series, coffee or tea, and what would Darby eat if he could only eat one type of food for the rest of his life?
Read till the end to find out the answer to these and many more questions! But first, a brief introduction:
Hi there! My name is Darby Macaraeg. I started working at VB a few months ago. First as a working student and now full time as a quantitative consultant.
“What is your background?”
Like most of the consultants at VB, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Econometrics and Operations Research. During my bachelor’s I took a major in Quantitative Finance, which triggered me to pursue a master’s degree in Econometrics and Management Science with a specialization in Quantitative Finance. I did both my studies at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
“What do you do in your time off?”
I spend a lot of time playing sports, of which I enjoy padel and golf the most. I go to the gym a few times a week, although I consider this necessary rather than enjoyable because of my love for food. Furthermore, I am a season ticket holder at Feyenoord. This past season has been great, but it can be as frustrating as it can be fun. Just like golf, for that matter.
“Could you say something about your path towards joining VB Advisory?”
I had a friend working here who notified me about a vacancy a few months back. I applied for the position as quantitative consultant while I was still working on my master’s thesis. I got hired, and they allowed me to focus on finishing my thesis first by offering me a part time position. Since I recently graduated, I am now a full member of the consultancy team!
“What kind of projects have you done at VB Advisory?”
As a working student I worked on some internal projects. One of them was the development of a dashboard that computes the total emission of a real estate portfolio. This gives the investor insights into the transition risk they are exposed to. Another one is the development of a dashboard that computes the differences in capital requirement under the new regulations of Basel IV and the old regulations of Basel III. Currently, I am working on the maintenance of a pricing tool, which computes the prices of commercial loans and lease contracts.
“Why did you choose VB Advisory?”
The stories my friend told me about VB really got me excited about the company. First of all, the team is young and ambitious. Second, VB genuinely cares for the wellbeing of their employees. This can be in the form of a yearly trip to a sunny location, or one of the partners may take you out to dinner to check up on you. More importantly, they try to find you a project that suits you best and they support you in reaching your goals. These are in my opinion the ideal conditions to reach your full potential.
“What sets VB Advisory apart?”
The fact that it’s a relatively small team but with a lot of variation in level and field of experience. Whatever it is you are learning or having difficulties with, there is always someone experienced enough and willing to help you out. This both softens the landing when starting a new project and improves the quality of the work you deliver.
“What’s your ideal Sunday?”
Setting a PR in a sunny round of golf. Then, seeing Feyenoord win in de Kuip and a nice Asian or Mediterranean dinner to top the day off.
Dilemmas with Darby…
“Coffee or tea?”
Coffee. I can really enjoy a cup of coffee, while I consider tea more as a thirst quencher.
“Movies or series?”
I think I’ll go with series. Simply because you can enjoy them for longer than just a few hours.
“Active holiday or beach holiday?”
Active holiday. I get bored after 30 minutes of sunbathing so I only enjoy a day at the beach when I can do activities like volleyball, beach ball or boogie boarding.
“Pasta or pizza?”
Pizza! No pineapple!!
“Not a day without?”
Snacks or sweets.
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