Natalie Gillespie-Gaskins

Tell us about your degree - why did you choose it?
I chose the programme because there were gaps I had in my undergraduate education that I needed to fill to advance in my career. The data literacy gained through the programme has enabled me to become the ‘data expert’ on every team I've joined since graduation and helps me gain visibility with senior leaders.

What did you enjoy the most about your course – what were your course highlights? For example, the facilities, staff, peers, course content etc.
It's difficult to choose one aspect of the course that I loved the most because the whole experience became one of the best years of my life. My cohort was a group of incredibly bright individuals from an array of professional and cultural backgrounds. I spent many, many hours on-campus at the libraries preparing for assessments and applying to post-graduate roles. My favourite courses were 'Predictive Analytics’,'where we used machine learning algorithms to predict consumer trends, and 'Geodemographics & Neighbourhood Analysis' where we leveraged census data to understand consumer profiles at the neighbourhood level. It was an incredible year that I wish I could relive!

What did you enjoy most about your life as a student at the University of Leeds? Did you get involved in any activities outside of your studies that had an impact on your experience here, or your personal development?
I had the opportunity to join the Luxury Retail Trek in Zürich, Switzerland. Throughout the trek, I engaged in company visits to ON Running, Läderach, and Maurice de Mauriac, as well as attended lectures on the deep heritage and artisanship behind some of the world's most famous grands, like Patek Philippe. Beyond learning about the Swiss consumer goods market, this unique experience opened my eyes to the importance of branding when it comes to both burgeoning and legacy Swiss brands.

How did you find adjusting to living and studying in the UK? Did the university offer support or services that you found helpful? Can you offer any advice?
Coming from the United States, the culture was similar enough, but different enough to be stimulating. The programme offered education sessions to international students to help us navigate visas, SIM cards, renting, and transport. To ensure integration goes as smoothly as possible, I recommend making friends with your fellow classmates and sharing knowledge – you never know when someone will stumble upon a resource that will save you money (shoutout to the classmate who introduced me to the Tesco Clubcard). 

What professional skills and experience did you gain during your time at Leeds University Business School? What support did you get to help to develop these skills, and with your overall career and employability?
Before enrolling in the programme, I had already established my career in the music industry, working for Warner Music Group under two of their subsidiaries, namely Warner Records and Alternative Distribution Alliance. I held roles in international marketing and partner management, but began noticing a widespread knowledge gap across the industry when it came to data literacy. The problem was that record companies had copious amounts of consumption data with no way to analyse it. The MSc in Consumer Analytics and Marketing Strategy was the perfect fit for me, as the course targeted the exact knowledge gaps I sought to fill. My new data competence helped me make the transition from the world of record labels into the tech industry.

How did your time at Leeds prepare you for the future?
The University of Leeds enabled me to gain international work experience in London, which has made me a top applicant for highly competitive roles. The professors with industry experience taught me to think of projects in a business context and how to distill complex information. The research-intensive nature of the programme and the school sparked a love for research that I'm sure will manifest in the pursuit of a PhD in the future, as well.

How has your career progressed since leaving the Business School? Have there been any notable highlights?
Just after graduation, I moved to London after being offered a role on TikTok's Music Partnerships team, where I worked for two years to break the next big artists on TikTok. I worked on campaigns for Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Fred Again..., Jessie Ware, Sekou, Eurovision, and many others. After leaving TikTok, I joined the Music Label Partnerships team at Meta in New York as a Partner Manager, where I continue to work on Reels, Facebook, Meta RayBans, and WhatsApp campaigns for Dua Lipa, Tate McRae, Tame Impala, and more.

What are your ambitions for the future?
I plan to continue leveraging the skills gained in the programme within my tech partnerships career, developing and analysing bespoke marketing campaigns, executing partner education events, and rolling out new product features.

What was your biggest highlight of studying at Leeds? (For example, friendships made, confidence in your abilities, or any single event that you will always remember)
The friendships I've made during the programme will be friends for life. Despite being located in New York, I meet up with fellow alumni whenever I visit London. We still help each other with CV review and give advice on tackling analysis projects at our respective workplaces. I know I'll always have someone in my corner.

Would you recommend the University of Leeds and the Business School to others? What advice would you give to students to help them get the most out of their time in Leeds?
Absolutely, and I have! I recommended someone from my undergraduate cohort to this programme... she's enrolled now and absolutely loves it. It teaches you to think in a very analytical way and it's fun seeing those changes take place in her: it's like we're able to communicate with each other in a new language. Plus, the current UK Prime Minister, Kier Starmer and the President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly are both University of Leeds alumni - a notable bunch! To get the most out of your time at Leeds, I recommend you get involved as much as you can with your cohort. When concepts get complex, these are the people who are going to be able to explain them to you with a new perspective and really make them click.