Daniel Brown

Did you study abroad as a student? What was your international experience like?

Rather than studying abroad for a semester or a year as an undergraduate, I decided to study abroad for graduate school. I did my PhD/D.Phil. in mathematics at Oxford University from 1990-1993. This was clearly a fateful decision on my part.  I met my future wife and spent roughly half of the next 20 years working in London. My oldest daughter was born in London, and all our children lived and went to school in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

One great thing about London is that it is a diverse, vibrant and cosmopolitan city. I made friends from around the world and was exposed to many different cultural influences. There are an infinite variety of things to do. In addition, it is well connected to Europe and to the rest of the world.  A short three hours on the train from London puts you in Paris.  A longer flight puts you anywhere in the world.

Why should students study finance abroad?

I believe that students should have experiences abroad whether it is studying or traveling. The advantage of studying abroad is that you can immerse yourself in a location and experience the culture and people in a way that a vacation does not allow.

Why is London such an excellent location for your Global Seminar?

London is an excellent location for this global seminar for two reasons.  First, London is a great city with history, culture, and a unique melding of the old and new; one can spend days and weeks exploring the city but barely scratching its surface. Second, London is one of the great financial centers of the world. All major and most minor banks in the world have a significant presence there.  It is the heart of the foreign exchange market and a key city in the derivatives market.

What is your favorite British food?

This is one of those hard questions.  If I think about a truly British food, then it is probably Cumberland sausages. If I think about what I love to eat when I visit London, it is my mother-in-law’s curries. If I think about what my children miss the most, it is British chocolate (very different to its American counterpart) and (only to be found in the U.K.) prawn cocktail crisps (potato chips). The latter items fill our suitcases when we come home from visiting my in-laws.

What aspect of this program do you look forward to the most?

There are two things that I look forward to in the program.  First, I love teaching and the London Seminar affords me the chance to teach a topic that I am passionate about. Second, I want to give everyone in the program the chance to explore London as I once did. As well as being familiar with the popular tourist attractions, I am a pseudo-local with knowledge of some hidden gems.

Last Updated January 2024