Peter Chan

Peter first joined MSCI in 2000 and worked at the firm for 11 years. During this time he relocated to various offices including New York and London. He then left the firm for a short time, but returned to MSCI in 2018 and has since been working as an Executive Director in Analytics.

“I love the environment here. We hire a lot of really smart people and that level of intellectual engagement encourages us all to grow – there are lots of bright people and a different level of stimulation But there was a big difference between when I left and when I returned.”

After returning to MSCI, it was clear to Peter that the firm had expanded its global diversity. But more noticeably, he could see the change in mobility; the relocation of roles across borders, in different offices.

“Something I noticed was that almost in any call – for example, a call with six people – you’d be speaking with people of six different ethnicities and hear six different accents. But those six people aren’t necessarily based in countries you might think. You could have an Indian accent based in New York. A Mexican accent based in London. MSCI have done a great job at fostering diversity but also giving people the career mobility to explore global opportunities.”

MSCI now employs 3600 employees world-wide, and Peter is delighted to see that office borders do not limit mobility, career progression or business growth.

“I think the view that diversity drives growth and therefore drives profitability is embedded into the financial industry. When you’re targeting different markets, you want to be a global organisation with employees and clients in those markets. But even though we’ve grown so much, MSCI still feels like a small company because of the level of access we have to people in different titles and roles. People are engaged all the way across the chain regardless of level, and that’s a very unique culture to have and be a part of.”

From first joining MSCI 20 years ago, to his current role, Peter continues to thrive off the open and honest culture at the firm. He believes that being able to maintain such a culture throughout its growth is all down to the increase in diversity. But as well as the company culture, Peter explains that having a diverse talent pool means that MSCI has grown into a company with a vast understanding of the global market, local cultures and their investment practices. He recognizes that diversity is a continuing shift; that investors will continue to push for D&I because without it, the industry cannot thrive.

“It’s so multi-cultural. You could drop someone into our London office and they wouldn’t know which country they’re in! In every office we have people of different nationalities, it’s such a diverse working experience – not just because of the office itself, but the way that offices interact with each other despite their physical distance from one another. And not only is it the right thing to do, but the efficient thing to do.”