For our Alumna of the Month interview, we spoke to Emma Oppong, Finance Business Partner at SUSE.
Emma joined Bromley High School in 2002 and left in 2009. She read BSc Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics at the University of Warwick.
Please can you briefly describe your current role?
I currently work as a Finance Business Partner for SUSE, a technology company. The role entails explaining financial information to non-financial stakeholders. Currently, I work with the IT and Legal teams at my company. My job requires a lot of work around strategy including budgeting and forecasting for next financial year and beyond. As clichéd as it sounds, no two days are the same!
How did Bromley High School help shape your future career?
I was given the opportunity to do work experience in Year 11, during which time I worked with my school friend’s mum at Ernst and Young. Finance was a career I saw myself pursuing as I had always enjoyed Maths at school. The school recognised this, meaning I took my Maths GCSE early in Year 11 and undertook an AS-Level module exam during my GCSE summer. The network that the school provided me and the opportunity to intern at a Big 4 firm allowed me to gain insight into this field, and now, 15 years later, here we are!
What aspects of Bromley High School did you most enjoy, and find most rewarding?
Both my older sisters attended Bromley High School, and I always enjoyed attending the dance productions and the various drama productions that the school organised. I was fortunate to take part in both of my sisters’ fashion shows when they were in Year 12, so to take part in and help organise it when I was in Sixth Form definitely felt like a full-circle moment.
What is your favourite memory of being at Bromley High School?
The friends I made. They’ve each had a significant impact on my life, and there are many that I keep in touch with and see regularly today.
What value do you get out of your connections with your fellow alumnae?
We all come from various backgrounds and work in different fields, but the memories we made at school often come up in our conversations. One of my good school friends also works in Finance, so it’s always helpful to have a sounding board with someone who understands what it’s like.
How have you benefited from being part of the wider GDST community?
The world is so small; I often find, through different work scenarios, that there’s a fellow GDST alumna among the group. It’s very powerful and encouraging to see how far many of the alumnae have come in their professional lives, and it’s something that I believe can serve as inspiration to us all.