Q&A

Student spotlight: Julia Lander

Meet Julia Lander, a first year university student with a big future. Julia shares a little about herself, her experience and insights on investment management and her career aspirations.

Tell us a little about yourself

Hi! I’m Julia, 17, born and raised in Sydney, Australia. I’m currently studying a Bachelor of Accounting through the Co-Op Scholarship Program at UTS, and I plan to major in either finance or economics next year. Outside of uni, I do a lot of work with charities and am passionate about the arts.

How did you hear about Future IM/Pact and what do find most valuable?

I actually first heard about Future IM/Pact through a spontaneous coffee chat with someone in the industry. After looking into the programs more deeply, I really resonated with its mission and values. What I find most valuable is the way it invests in young people – not just professionally, but personally as well – and this is one of the core reasons I’m excited to be involved.

What interests you about a career in investments?

While investment management is an attractive career in many aspects, I’m particularly drawn to the opportunity for intellectual challenge. I think even some of the leading, most impressive professionals in the industry will tell you that no matter how much you know, there’s always more to know – and I find that exciting.

Have you had any experience in the investment industry?

Yes! I’ve been interning since earlier this year with the great Small and Microcaps team at Perennial Partners, one of Australia’s most successful fund managers with around $8 billion in FUM. Through my Co-Op scholarship, I’ll also be completing a full-time finance internship next semester. I’m really excited to gain exposure to different areas within the industry and better narrowing in on where I’d like to contribute long-term.

I'm excited to gain exposure to different areas within the investment industry and narrow in on where I’d like to contribute long-term.

What are your career goals? Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20 years?

The dreaded question… haha. I’ve thought about this quite a lot recently, and I think I’ll believe myself to have been successful in my career should I achieve certain pillars, such as excellence, impact and integrity. With the support of programs like Future IM/Pact and the experiences I gain along the way, I’m excited to keep refining what success means to me—and working toward a career that reflects it.

What do you plan to do over the next few years to better position yourself for an investing (or other) career?

A key insight I’ve picked up from mentors and conversations is the significance of mindset, even above academic excellence or technical prowess. I think that as an ambitious young person, it’s likely that certain experiences or particular goals won’t eventuate as we hoped. That’s why I think it’s best to focus on appreciating the opportunity for learning, building resilience and enjoying the daily challenge of what’s likely to be a long journey.

What topics are you most curious or inspired by at the moment?

I’m really intrigued by the intersection of finance and media—especially how it’s evolving with AI. The way information is being democratized is fascinating, and it raises so many questions about storytelling, access, and strategy. I also love Livewire’s Buy Hold Sell podcast, and recommend it as a super digestible, interesting way to stay up to date on markets and investing.

What I find most valuable about Future IM/Pact is the way it invests in young people - not just professionally, but personally as well - and this is one of the core reasons I’m excited to be involved.

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