Student: Dorothy Chiu
Degree: Master of Commerce, majoring in Finance at University of Sydney
Mentors: Alice Browne, Director, Senior Investment Adviser at Evans & Partners ,
Jason Shao, Vice President, Equity Research at Macquarie Group
Work experience:
Hobbies: learning languages, tennis, badminton, skiing, and pilates; I enjoy challenging myself, developing my communication skills, and meeting new people.
Investment management: I enjoy the intellectual challenge of evaluating businesses, industries, and markets, and translating those insights into investment strategies that create long-term value. The chance to integrate quantitative skills with qualitative judgment in assessing risks and opportunities excites me, as it requires continuous learning, adaptability, and a global perspective. I thrive on stepping outside my comfort zone and embrace uncertainty, which I see as part of the beauty of an investment career. My previous internship experiences have reinforced my passion for understanding capital flows and the importance of disciplined decision-making. I am eager to contribute to, and grow within, a profession that sharpens both analytical and strategic skills while playing a crucial role in shaping capital allocation and driving real economic outcomes.
Investment Advice: I am interested in investment advice because it combines financial expertise with meaningful client relationships. I enjoy analysing markets and investment opportunities, as well as translating complex insights into clear, tailored strategies that help clients achieve their long-term goals. Through my experience in global markets and investment roles, I have developed a strong foundation in capital markets, financial analysis, and understanding investor behaviour. Working with diverse stakeholders has also sparked my interest in more client-facing roles. I am curious about portfolio advisory roles within banks that focus on developing market views and model portfolios. I am keen to explore both paths further to better understand where I can create the most value.
I am currently curious about how evolving market conditions are shaping portfolio allocation decisions for private clients, particularly in such interest rate environment. I am interested in how asset/fund managers balance traditional asset classes with alternative investments to achieve diversification and stable returns.
Given my exposure to fixed income and global markets, I am also keen to understand how advisors position portfolios across rate cycles, especially in managing duration risk and income generation. Understanding how these factors come together in real client portfolios is something I am eager to explore further.
The conversations went really well. I’ve met with Alice Browne three times so far, and we’re still in touch. She’s been incredibly friendly and helpful in sharing her experience as a Private Wealth Advisor and explaining the different functions within the business (CIO office). She also shared useful resources with me when I was planning to apply for a role, which I really appreciated.
I’ve met once with Jason Shao once and we’re arranging our next conversation. He asked me career-related questions that pushed me to be honest about the career I’m trying to pursue, which I found really helpful in understanding myself better.
My biggest takeaway is to stay open to building long-term relationships with mentors. It’s often hard to get a truly effective outcome from just one session, but a continuous conversation allows for a deeper understanding and lets you dive further into topics over time. It means a lot to me, and it’s well worth the time and effort to connect with industry professionals in this way.
Career Connect opens a lot of doors to talk to industry professionals across all areas and understand the career decisions they've made along the way.
Always prepare topics you’re keen to know about beforehand, it shows preparation and passion, which goes a long way. It’s also a sign of respect for both the mentor’s and mentee’s time, helping you get the most out of even a short session.
Yes, definitely. Career Connect opens a lot of doors to talk to industry professionals across all areas and understand the career decisions they’ve made along the way.
I’m keen to explore asset classes such as Fixed Income, Equities, Private Credit, Real Estate, and Infrastructure, across banking, investment management (funds, asset management), and Capital Markets.
I honestly don’t have a dream job or a specific role in mind, but I aspire to a career with strong growth, one that’s non-repetitive and brings exciting new projects along the way, so I can grow alongside the role. I also enjoy work that lets me build transferable skills and balances the relationship and analytical sides of the job. I like being well-rounded, so I can see the bigger picture of what’s happening in my role and industry, and think through strategies that create real impact for clients while considering all the relevant risk factors and stakeholders. Down the line, I may specialise to gain deeper exposure to certain asset classes, but I’ll definitely keep exploring other areas of finance too.
The kind of impact I hope to have through my career is helping people actually achieve their investment goals, or supporting the internal transformation a business needs to move forward. I also hope to be the kind of person people enjoy working with, efficient, considerate, and a strong team player or leader.
Personally, my dad inspires me the most. He encouraged me to study abroad, and without his support, I wouldn’t have been able to think outside the box the way I do now, gain such valuable international exposure, or build an open mindset in a business setting. His support and vision from the very start mean a great deal to me.
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My biggest takeaway is to stay open to building long-term relationships with mentors. It's often hard to get a truly effective outcome from just one session, but a continuous conversation allows for a deeper understanding and lets you dive further into topics over time.