{"id":2003,"date":"2026-01-15T16:46:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/?p=2003"},"modified":"2026-02-05T12:35:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T12:35:35","slug":"parade-profiles-steven-forshaw-bsc-mathematical-sciences-2010","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/2026\/01\/15\/parade-profiles-steven-forshaw-bsc-mathematical-sciences-2010\/","title":{"rendered":"Parade Profile: Steven Forshaw (BSc Mathematical Sciences 2010)"},"content":{"rendered":"

By day, maths\u00a0grad\u00a0Steven has a successful finance career. By night,\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0a powerlifting superstar \u2013 and his love of the sport began right here in Bath.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Steven started competing\u00a0in\u00a02022.\u00a0By\u00a02025, he\u00a0had\u00a0gained\u00a0British, European and World Championship titles.\u00a0His\u00a0journey to victory\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0been without setbacks. In 2016, Steven suffered a catastrophic knee injury and returned to lifting simply to regain the strength to walk.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The analytical mindset he developed during his degree helped him stay focused\u00a0\u2013\u00a0ultimately powering\u00a0him to the heights he has reached today.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What first drew you to Bath, and what were you hoping to get out of your university experience?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I was drawn to the strength\u00a0of\u00a0the Mathematical Sciences course and the quality of the\u00a0Sports Training Village (STV), which\u00a0was\u00a0quite new at the time.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I wanted a university experience that was academically challenging but also supported a high level of physical activity \u2013<\/b> and to find a sport to focus that discipline on.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you have a clear career direction in mind when you started your degree?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0didn't\u00a0have a specific career path beyond knowing I wanted to apply the logical thinking and problem-solving skills\u00a0learned\u00a0on my\u00a0course.\u00a0<\/span> \"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

My career in finance\u00a0took shape as a direct application of that\u00a0discipline. One of the other attractions\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0course\u00a0was the sandwich placement\u00a0year\u00a0at Dunkley\u2019s, which is where I first experienced\u00a0life as\u00a0a trainee accountant, and indeed where I joined as a graduate in 2010.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When you look back, which memories or places on campus stand out most vividly for you?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The atmosphere of the STV is what stands out most. It was\u00a0such a\u00a0motivating environment, seeing athletes from\u00a0different sports\u00a0training every day. It was great to\u00a0train\u00a0alongside\u00a0elite level athletes\u00a0\u2013\u00a0including\u00a0Olympians\u00a0and professional rugby\u00a0players.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I also vividly remember the long hours spent in the\u00a0lecture theatre down by the lake, and playing pool next door\u00a0during\u00a0breaks.\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0always have a soft spot for Mendip 1!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You began powerlifting while at Bath. How did you first get involved, and what do you remember about those early sessions in the\u00a0STV?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started lifting weights in the newly opened STV\u00a0because the facilities were world-class. Initially, it was just general strength training, but\u00a0the environment naturally\u00a0made me\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0push\u00a0for\u00a0concrete numbers.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I remember the excitement of the early sessions. Although back\u00a0then\u00a0my aim was to\u00a0condition\u00a0myself for other\u00a0sports\u00a0hobbies, powerlifting\u00a0fostered a competitive spirit that was perfect for channelling the dedication I was, until then, only\u00a0applying to my degree.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Were you part of any clubs, teams, or student communities during your degree, and what impact did they have on you?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The conditioning from strength training in the STV built the foundation for pursuing football and boxing during the early parts of my\u00a0uni\u00a0life. The\u00a0community of high-level athletes and analytical intelligence amongst my classmates fostered a culture of perfectionism and resilience that was infectious.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has your career unfolded since graduating, and what does a typical day look like in your current role?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My career began in public accountancy while completing my ICAEW chartership at a Bristol firm called\u00a0Dunkley\u2019s. There, I prepared accounts and tax computations for external clients and carried out statutory audits, which gave me a strong technical grounding alongside the rigour of the chartership exams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I then moved into financial services, working with organisations like St. James\u2019s Place plc and Columbia Threadneedle Investments, where I led and contributed to large-scale global projects and applied the advanced analytical skills I developed at Bath.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More recently, I have worked in financial consultancy with Wincanton, focusing on financial planning and analysis, running seminars on reporting controls and accounting standards transitions, and project managing external audits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0<\/span>the past decade, a typical day has involved\u00a0data analysis, strategic problem-solving\u00a0and\u00a0management of risk and controls within complex organisations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you enjoy most about your work, and has balancing a full-time job with\u00a0elite-level training changed how you approach your career?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I most enjoy the intellectual challenge and seeing a long-term strategic plan come to fruition. Balancing a full-time job with elite-level training absolutely changed my approach to my career. It forced me to be ruthlessly efficient with my time and prioritise tasks, minimising wasted effort, a skill that is invaluable in the finance world, and paid dividends in productivity throughout many of my roles to date.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In what ways did your time at Bath shape you?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being immersed in the competitive environment of the STV and the boxing\u00a0club and\u00a0being a multiple Bath\u00a0Half\u00a0Marathon finisher\u00a0instilled a belief that sustained dedication, regardless of external obstacles, leads to mastery.\u00a0Consistency really is the key to improvement and success.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You've\u00a0achieved\u00a0great things\u00a0in your sport. Which moments or titles meant the most to you, and why?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The most meaningful achievement was completing the powerlifting \"Triple Crown\" in 2025: winning\u00a0the\u00a0British, European and World Championship titles in a single season.\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The World Title\u00a0validated\u00a0the nine years of methodical commitment it took to rebuild my body and my competitive mindset after a catastrophic knee injury.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What helped you stay focused through recovery, and what did you learn from that period?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Following a bad tackle in a football match\u00a0I underwent a full knee reconstruction.\u00a0My meniscus and MCL were stitched back together, and a new ACL\u00a0was\u00a0built from part of my hamstring, secured with screws in my tibia and femur.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rehabilitation was long and painful, and I owe a great deal to my partner, Natasha, who supported me both physically and mentally throughout. I drew heavily on the analytical discipline from my\u00a0degree, reframing recovery from something to endure into a long-term strategic\u00a0plan.\u00a0I\u00a0learned\u00a0that resilience\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0a single defining moment, but the quiet\u00a0commitment to turning up every day for years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I returned to the gym simply to rebuild enough muscle to walk again, then to relearn how to walk symmetrically without pain or limping. Along the way,\u00a0my\u00a0strength gains surpassed my pre-injury levels,\u00a0instead of plateauing like they had\u00a0before. What began as rehabilitation gradually became something I genuinely enjoyed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Y<\/strong>ou recently returned to campus to compete. How did it feel to step back into the STV?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Returning to the STV for the competition was incredibly nostalgic; I could feel myself being transported back to where the\u00a0initial\u00a0spark was lit.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What advice would you give students who are trying to balance academic goals with emerging passions of their own?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My advice to students is that discipline is transferable. Use the methodical approach you apply to your academic studies, be it mathematical analysis or essay writing, and apply that same focus to your passion. That discipline, not motivation, is what builds success in academia, in professional endeavours and in the gym.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By day, maths\u00a0grad\u00a0Steven has a successful finance career. By night,\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0a powerlifting superstar \u2013 and his love of the sport began right here in Bath.\u00a0 Steven started competing\u00a0in\u00a02022.\u00a0By\u00a02025, he\u00a0had\u00a0gained\u00a0British, European and World Championship titles.\u00a0His\u00a0journey to victory\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0been without setbacks. In 2016, Steven...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2002,"featured_media":2004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[128,119],"tags":[5,131],"class_list":["post-2003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","category-parade-profiles","tag-alumni","tag-mathematical-sciences"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/01\/Steven-Forshaw.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2002"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/on-parade\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}