Why did you choose to study at Aberdeen?
It had a great Psychology department in a beautiful city. Also the close proximity to skiing!
Why did you choose your particular course?
I have always been interested in studying what makes humans tick!
What did you most enjoy about your time at Aberdeen? Did you have any particularly memorable student experiences?
I liked the great accommodation that was within walking distance to almost everything. It was a beautiful campus and I remember the great pubs.
Did you hold any student leadership roles, e.g. Class Rep, Club Treasurer, Social Convenor?
I was Vice-President of the University Union.
If talking to a group of prospective students, what advice would you give them to help them make the most of their time at the University of Aberdeen?
Remember that the great outdoors is on your doorstep - don't confine yourself to campus.
Your Time After Aberdeen
What was the title of your first job after graduating from Aberdeen?
Market Research Manager at Brake Bros.
What did your first role involve?
Working for a food service company, understanding what products restaurants, pubs, hotels, schools and hospitals wanted to buy. Going out and doing qualitative research. Running large scale quantitative surveys.
What is your current job title?
Vice-President of Worldwide Marketing at Amazon.
What is your current role?
Leading worldwide engineering, product and marketing teams dedicated to growing and developing Amazon's marketing programs.
What is your current location?
Seattle.
Please briefly describe the journey from your first job after graduating to where you are now.
I started in market research and from there moved into product marketing. I got interested in websites and taught myself to code, then moved into a variety of digital marketing roles.
Was your degree at Aberdeen essential for getting to where you are now? If so, in what way?
Psychology helped me understand how to motivate teams and individuals and to help me see alternative viewpoints. Organizational health, operational health and marketing are all grounded in psychology.
One Top Tip
Remember to look to the long term and don't get wound up in short term issues. Plan your moves two steps ahead. Remember that everything will likely turn out just fine and don't sweat the small stuff.
