Ilya Filipov

Third-Year LDP Associate

“Going into business school I wanted a career that would throw me into the fire right away and that would give me the opportunity to make an immediate impact. In addition, I wanted to be part of an organization that had no big egos flying around, and I was not willing to sacrifice this value for any salary level or benefit one might receive. Coming into Western & Southern Financial Group, I was pleasantly surprised to discover both of these dimensions being characteristic of an LDP rotation.

From the first day at work I assumed ownership of a project that would make great impact in the company. I was responsible for formulating the marketing strategy of the company’s fundraising activities on its investment side. Being straight out of business school, I was freshly filled with investing and marketing theories. However, I still had plenty to learn about the industry, its jargons, and its standards. In addition, I was working on my project and helping my team with many other mini projects that arose in the everyday work. The work is challenging, the learning curve is very steep, and I am amazed to see that the things I am doing have immediate impact on the organization’s sales activity.

Despite the dynamic environment in which the associates work, it is overwhelming to see how accessible and helpful everyone at Western & Southern Financial Group is to LDP Associates. From the regular associates to the highest executives, everyone is interested in helping, even if the division for which they work is not directly affected by the LDP project. Within only one month of my start date, I had meetings and lunches with most of the C-level officers. My mentors, the Chief Executive Officer of Touchstone Investments and the Western & Southern’s Chief Information Officer, have also been readily available to provide me with advice on my projects, in spite of their busy schedules. Every day I am astonished to see that an entire $51 billion company cares specifically about my success in the projects on which I work.

Western & Southern Financial Group’s LDP provides professionals with a unique opportunity to dive into leadership right out of business school. The challenges that each project presents to its associates, coupled with the exposure to senior leaders that it provides, make this program one of the best career opportunities.”

Leadership Development Program

Ilya Filipov

Third-Year LDP Associate