Moiz Sakarwala

What inspired you to choose MSc Data Science and how does it align with your career goals in tech and marketing?

I chose the MSc Data Science at City St George’s, University of London with a very clear thought in mind, if I wanted to make a global impact in tech and marketing, I needed to study in a city that sits at the centre of opportunity.

London was a natural choice. It’s a place where industries, ideas, and people from across the world meet. I wanted a university that was centrally located, had a strong alumni network, and an environment that challenged me to think creatively and entrepreneurially.

I always knew I wanted to work in marketing technology, and I understood early on that textbook knowledge alone wouldn’t be enough. I needed a place where I could not just learn, but experiment, question, and turn ideas into something I could truly understand and use. City St George’s offered exactly that balance. It gave me the technical foundation in data science where I could do my magic.

Which technical and analytical skills did your course help you develop during the MSc Data Science?

The MSc Data Science course is intense in the best way. It pushes you to turn topics you enjoy into meaningful projects, which makes learning feel natural and memorable.

A big part of the learning came from applying concepts to projects of our own choice. That freedom pushed me to explore data I cared about, which made the learning deeper and more practical. I became more efficient not just in analysing data, but in structuring my approach and thinking critically about results.

How did your studies at City St George’s, prepare you for working in a fast- paced, data-driven environment like TikTok?

We often had the freedom to choose our own topics/datasets for coursework, which pushed me to be creative and curious. Instead of working on predefined problems, I learned how to explore data independently, and structure my own approach, like how problems appear in real roles today.

Some of the coursework was collaborative, which helped me build strong teamwork and leadership skills. Working with students from different backgrounds meant learning how to communicate ideas clearly, divide responsibilities, and deliver together under deadlines. That combination of creativity and ownership is exactly what I experience now at TikTok, where no two problems look the same and clarity of thinking matters just as much as technical skills.

Which academic or student support services within your School or the University did you find the most helpful during your studies?

One of the most helpful support initiatives during my time at City St George’s, was Data Bites and City Ventures. Data Bites would happen every week and these sessions brought in industry professionals, start-up founders, and alumni who spoke honestly about what working with data looks like in the real world.

It helped bridge the gap between what we were learning in class and how those skills are used in tech and business. City Ventures was more like an entrepreneurial hub where you could pitch/launch your own start-up and seek feedback.

What I appreciated most about these student support services was how simple and practical the conversations were. You could ask questions freely and seek internship opportunities. Beyond the learning it helped me grow my professional network and start thinking about my career direction much earlier.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering a degree in your subject, especially those aiming to work in tech or marketing after graduation?

My biggest advice to students is simple: don’t treat Data Science as a subject you study, treat it as a lens you use to see the world. At City St George’s, I realised how powerful the field becomes when you apply it to things you already care about. It could be sport, the gym, music, or for a fact marketing as well. When you start using data to understand everyday interests, the learning stops feeling academic and starts feeling more natural.

Data Science is broad, and at first, it feels overwhelming. The key here is to find the gap where it connects with another field that you enjoy and go deep there. Build a niche. Then, one day, you find your rhythm, that’s when the magic begins.

If you’re aiming for a career in tech or marketing, to my knowledge companies don’t just need people who can analyse data. They need people who can translate it into decisions, stories, and impact. The earlier you start practising that mindset, the more confident and prepared you’ll feel when you graduate.

Can you describe your current role at TikTok and how it connects to the skills and concepts you learned during your MSc at City St George’s?

My role at TikTok sits at the intersection of data, measurement, and business impact. As a marketing analyst across the UK and EUI markets, I work with agencies and brands to understand how TikTok is represented in their measurement models and help ensure its measured accurately.

A big part of my work involves analysing and running data from studies like MMM (Marketing Mix Modelling), translating those insights into practical changes in how media performance is evaluated, and linking that back to real revenue outcomes.

This connects strongly to what I learned during my MSc in Data Science at City St George’s. The course taught me not just how to analyse data, but how to think critically about models and assumptions, I now apply those same concepts using data to influence strategic decisions at scale.

As an international student, how was your experience studying in the UK, and what impact has it had on your personal and professional growth?

As an international student, I didn’t just come to the UK to study Data Science. I came to discover who I was under pressure. I arrived with a suitcase full of ambition and a mind full of questions. Little did I know that just dreams won’t be enough here, you’ll need discipline.

My experience was more about learning how to think. How to question data, how to see patterns, how to sit in rooms where every accent, culture, and perspective added a new dimension to the same problem. But beyond the career, the UK gave me something deeper, which is confidence. Confidence to step into global conversations, to work with people from all over the world, and to believe that I belonged in those rooms.

You were also working as a Mathematics Tutor while studying for your MSc. How did you balance tutoring alongside the programme?

While studying, I also worked part-time as a Mathematics Tutor and in many ways, that role sharpened me as much as the MSc did. It forced me to respect time, but more importantly, teaching mathematics while learning data science created a powerful loop. Explaining concepts to students made me better at simplifying complex ideas, structuring my thoughts clearly, and communicating with patience.

Of course, balancing both wasn’t easy, but it taught me how to manage pressure without losing focus. I would say, tutoring didn’t take time away from my studies. It made me better at them.