Newham man who bagged a top City job after door-knocking ‘the richest area in London’ visits his old school
Reggie Nelson with former teacher Janet Moore. Pic: Tom Barnes - Credit: Archant
A finance analyst who bagged his job after knocking on the doors of Britain’s most expensive homes returned to his former school in Newham to give an inspirational talk.
Reggie Nelson impressed a wealthy banker after googling ‘richest area in London’ and visiting residents living in Gloucester Road in Kensington, west London, to ask for career advice.
His bravado earned him work experience at a top city firm which lead him to enrol on an economics degree at university.
The 23-year-old now earns a top salary working for Legal and General Investment Management.
This week Reggie told pupils at The Cumberland School in Plaistow about his plan to make it big.
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He said: “There are big problems in areas like Newham and where I grew up in terms of who the young people have to look up to and who their role models are.
“I hope that having someone like me come to talk to them, someone they can relate to and who grew up in the same place and in this instance went to the same school, can help them see a different more exciting path.
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“I share my story because I want people like me to understand that you can change, you can make a better life for yourself. If I can do it, these students can do it.
Reggie, who combines his job with motivational talks at school and mentoring young people, added: “Schools like this one have a big part to play. At this school the teachers never gave up on me.
“The support and care that I received at school is one of the main reasons I was able to get where I am today. I am hoping these young people understand that.
The Cumberland School headteacher Gillian Dineen said: “Reggie is the physical embodiment of what we try every day to install into our students.
“His story is proof that if you have the right support at school, if you are determined and ambitious, if you believe that your background should be no barrier to success, then anything is possible.”
Cumberland student Sarah Carvalho, 14, from Plaistow, added: “Reggie is my hero. When you have someone from your area talk to you and show you a positive way then it is really inspirational.”
