Miguel Castillo

Growing up, Miguel had personal connections to agriculture, allowing him to gain an understanding that sustainability means ensuring what we have today, is available tomorrow. When he saw an opening for a Product Management intern in MSCI’s ESG business, he immediately took the opportunity to combine his passion and curiosity for sustainability with his professional education in the finance field.

“As a kid, I remember adults around me being concerned with environmental issues such as droughts and extreme weather which had huge effects on food, wildlife, and resources. I began to understand how things were interconnected and this brought the issue of sustainability and climate change to my attention. When I saw the opportunity to blend my education in the financial field with sustainability themes by joining MSCI three years ago, I knew I had to.

As an intern, Miguel was consistently included in important discussions by his more senior teammates, which helped him learn and understand MSCI’s different products and client segments.

“I started out by helping different product managers in my team with smaller tasks. Soon enough, my teammates and manager involved me in more complex projects where I began to see the bigger picture. My team kept me engaged, challenged and learning.  It is thanks to MSCI’s working environment that I quickly felt the confidence to chime in on important discussions where everyone else had more experience than I did. I learned there is always a way in which you can contribute no matter your background, seniority, or experience. This is an incredible opportunity to have, especially at the very start one’s career.”

Miguel believes that by working at MSCI, he’s been given the opportunity to add his touch on something that spans beyond MSCI and his own career; He believes a more sustainable world is possible, and that the financial field is one of the numerous routes that we can take to get there.

“You’re bigger than just your position or function. Everyone is included in the bigger picture; everyone feels like they’re on the same ship. I constantly see that the people in my team are genuinely satisfied with how the products they design help our clients and that’s very motivating.”

This ESG landscape is always evolving, and Miguel and his team must anticipate client and market needs.

“We are constantly looking at feedback from clients that helps inform our product design decisions and enhancements. I believe the most important piece of what we do is understanding our clients’ use-cases and making sure that our products are not only useful, but actual solutions”.

Miguel believes that MSCI stands out due to its incredibly diverse and passionate people across our global offices. “Everyone feels they can express their ideas and opinions here, we’re here to learn from each other. We not only have great quality data and technology, but we also have amazing people – people who are passionate about designing a great experience for our clients, and passionate about the topics they dive into every day. At MSCI you never feel out of place or afraid to express an idea. Diversity and participation are always applauded and MSCI is full of great managers who are there to guide you and get the best out of you.”