The presentation and storytelling abilities I developed have truly empowered me in my current role at J.P. Morgan, especially when pitching new ideas and data to senior leaders. The IXN gave me extensive practice sharing my work with board members, which has made presenting feel much less intimidating.
What did your IXN project explore?
I worked with Knight Frank on a blockchain project deploying smart contracts in real estate. During the project, I proposed an innovative framework that leverages smart contracts to enable the trading of fractionalised commercial property ownership.
The design aims to reduce entry barriers and enhance market liquidity. The project was also featured in Knight Frank’s Innovation Summit Vol. 2 - Digital Frontiers: Exploring Emerging Technologies in Real Estate.
Of all the IXN projects available, what drew you to Knight Frank?
I was interested in working in the real estate industry and was particularly drawn to the unique nature of the project and the firm’s openness to working with the latest technologies.
UCL Industry Exchange Network (IXN)
The UCL IXN programme connects students with industry through assessed projects built into your degree, helping you gain real-world experience for your future career.
What did a typical week look like for you?
During the IXN project, we had weekly catch-up sessions where I had the chance to share my latest progress, perform demos for other technology experts on the team, and receive their feedback.
After these sessions, I also had the opportunity for one-to-one meetings with the AI and Data Transformation Lead to discuss how to better align my project with the company’s needs.
Bi-weekly, I shared my progress with senior management board members and managers who were interested in the project. These stakeholders were not limited to the tech team; they came from business, legal, and operations, which allowed me to gain broader exposure to the daily operations of a real estate firm.
For the rest of the week, my industrial supervisor and I stayed in contact via email and Teams regarding any blockers.
In addition to this, I had regular sessions with my academic supervisor, Professor Chris Clack, to review my ideas from an academic perspective. We explored whether there were research findings from the academic world that could be applied to my project.
What professional software did you have to learn?
As part of this project, I worked with professional blockchain development tools such as Solidity and Remix. Gaining experience with these was really beneficial for my current job.
What was the most important thing you learned from the IXN experience?
I learned to always prioritise what the business truly needs and to keep asking questions.
The more we engage with a business, the better we understand their “niche” and their actual requirements. This enables us to provide more concise and effective tools that drive real impact.
How would you describe the relationship with your industry supervisor?
The relationship was collaborative and supportive. Not only did they provide the resources I needed to turn my ideas into practical products, but they also created opportunities for me to speak with various industry experts.
They pushed me to think beyond the academic scope, encouraging me to consider real-world constraints and trade-offs.
Did you present your work to stakeholders?
Yes, there were plenty of opportunities to share my work.
Internally, I presented to senior leaders in business and technology. They provided valuable insights into legal and practical perspectives that I had sometimes neglected by focusing on the project from an overly academic point of view.
Externally, the project was featured in Knight Frank’s Innovation Summit, where I presented my ideas to stakeholders from various industries.
Which skills developed through your project do you apply in your current role at J.P. Morgan?
Regarding soft skills, the presentation and storytelling abilities I developed have truly empowered me in my current role at J.P. Morgan, especially when pitching new ideas and data to senior leaders. The IXN gave me extensive practice sharing my work with board members, which has made presenting feel much less intimidating.
Regarding hard skills, the IXN allowed me to stay current with emerging technologies and see how research is applied in a corporate setting. Working in a bank’s technology team, these skills help me identify new opportunities and stay at the forefront of innovation when developing products for clients.
The information included in this interview was correct at the time of publication (June 2026). We’ve shared this story to bring the IXN experience to life for prospective students. While every student’s journey is different, these profiles reflect real past projects. Please note that specific partners and topics change annually based on industry needs and project availability.
IXN Student Experiences
Read more stories from graduates who completed their dissertation with industry partners.
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