Oscar Willmott (2024 Graduate)

Tell us about yourself! What did you study during your time with us, and what are you currently doing?

I studied MSc Philosophy of Economics and The Social Sciences. I now work in Intelligence and Security Consulting at a firm called Control Risks. I am in charge of project coordination for all "Expert" services such as intel reports, executive protection units, kidnap and ransom response, etc.

In what ways has studying Philosophy influenced your professional life or shaped your career path?

For me, it has been a lot less so about the content learned (I worked mainly on set theory and phil of maths whilst at LSE) but more so the way it trains you to think about problems. This helped massively with how to prioritize tasks and find solutions authentically and logically.

How has your Philosophy background set you apart in your field or helped you approach challenges differently?

It's certainly a growing background to have within the world of Intelligence. Skills such as being able to research issues from scratch and analyse multiple opinions without bias are extremely useful to have. I also think the multidisciplinary style of courses at LSE massively helped my CV standout during the application phase. There's a certain appeal when someone has studied courses on maths, physics and logic but at the same time theories of social science and gender - it creates a well balanced perspective, which is hard to come by in a time where everyone is specialising.

What advice would you give to current or prospective students who are passionate about Philosophy but unsure how it might support their future career?

I'd say go for it! When I was applying for degrees I had no clue which industry I wanted to go into. Philosophy not only opened up new avenues for me (as it is appreciated by employers) but allowed me to think more clearly - including about the type of job I was after.

What’s one of your fondest memories from your time studying with us?

The people! I really enjoyed meeting people from such diverse backgrounds who challenged my beliefs and always welcomed a philosophical debate. Also, my supervisor Miklos Redei was great at helping me explore new avenues of thought I had never gone down - such as Set Theory and Philosophy of Maths. The atmosphere was both welcoming and challenging.