Undergraduate students from UCL School of Management’s BSc Information Management for Business (IMB) programme, BSc/MSci Management Science programme, and BSc International Management programme recently had the opportunity to spend an afternoon at Checkout.com’s Global Headquarters in London, exploring one of the world’s leading fintech companies from the inside. Designed in collaboration with Checkout.com’s Early Careers team, the visit offered students a rich blend of learning, reflection, and practical career development.
The programme began with a dynamic introduction to Checkout.com led by Isabel Scavetta, who provided an engaging overview of the organisation’s role in powering payments for some of the world’s biggest brands. Her session gave students valuable insight into the product ecosystem underpinning seamless global transactions.
Students then took part in a highly interactive culture session delivered by Tom K. Davis, Global DEIB Manager. Drawing from Checkout.com’s values — performance under pressure, obsession with improvement, and team before ego — Tom challenged students to think deeply about what it means to thrive in a high-performance environment. They also explored the company’s operating principles of Aspire, Excel, Unite through a fast-paced group activity, encouraging teamwork, creativity, and quick, strategic thinking.
As part of the afternoon, students engaged in a practical and personalised CV and careers workshop with the Early Careers Talent team: Omri Grinfeld, Sophia Riyami, Alistair McCord, and Daisy Perera. Their guidance helped students identify strengths, refine their applications, and build confidence in presenting their experiences.
One student commented: “A highlight for me was the 1:1 CV improvement session with Sophia Riyami, who provided extremely valuable and actionable feedback. I’m genuinely grateful for the time and insights shared.”
The final session of the day was an inspiring fireside panel featuring leaders from across the business — Michel Tornabene, Lucy Karsten, Philippa Cresswell and Alvina Chen. They shared thoughtful reflections on career development, the evolving fintech landscape, and what it means to build a meaningful career at Checkout.com.
As another student noted: “Their honesty and depth of experience made the session incredibly meaningful… One of my biggest takeaways was the idea of developing an athlete mindset — staying disciplined, continuously improving, and pushing beyond limits.”
Students were also given a guided tour of Checkout.com’s London HQ, offering a close-up look at the environment that fuels the company’s collaborative, high-performance culture.
The afternoon was expertly organised by Olivia Rogers, Early Careers Programme Manager, whose energy and coordination shaped the visit. As Olivia wrote: “We loved hosting such a bright and engaged group of future talent — we hope to welcome them to Checkout in our #NextGen Early Careers programmes next year!”
We are deeply grateful to Olivia and the entire Checkout.com team for creating such an enriching experience and for their openness in supporting the next generation of digital talent.
Find out more about undergraduate study at UCL School of Management.
