Tell us a little something about yourself.
I am Kate, a penultimate student at the University of Queensland studying a Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (honours). I have spent most of my life in the sunny city of Brisbane. In my spare time I enjoy playing basketball, playing the saxophone and volunteering as a Girl Guide Leader.
How did you first hear about Future IM/Pact?
I heard about Future IM/Pact through the Investment Competition in 2023, where my team and I came second place in the national finals. We had an amazing experience not only presenting but also networking with Future IM/Pact’s affiliated companies.
What do you find most valuable about the program?
Through the networking opportunities Future IM/Pact has given me, I have been able to pick the brains of many industry leaders and have been fortunate enough to find mentors I can turn to for guidance. The genuine interest of the industry leaders in my own success has been beneficial to my confidence and understanding of the industry.
What interests you about a career in investment management?
I have enjoyed financial valuation courses and my own personal investing experience which led me to participating the Future IM/Pact Investment Competition. Investment management interests me because you are constantly learning about different industries, business models, economies and companies all the time. Being able to take ambiguous topics and quantify it into a model is very engaging to me.
Tell us about your experience participating in the Rest Mentoring Circle
I must admit I was very personally motivated to choose Rest —my super is managed by them. Speaking to professionals at a prominent super fund was a privilege. I learnt a lot about benchmarking, day-to-day work, and investment philosophies. I really enjoyed presenting my investment spotlight on infrastructure to the team and valued the feedback I received from them.
Tell us about the presentation you gave as part of the Mentoring Circle
My presentation shed light on trends in the Australian infrastructure space and called out potential investment opportunities. I chose this topic because Australia’s infrastructure space is changing due to the 2050 Net Zero target and growing population.
Tell us about the opportunity to present in front of the Rest Investments Analyst Forum
I was able to present first to the smaller Rest team, where I gained valuable feedback. After adapting my presentation in response to the feedback I received, I was given the opportunity to present to the wider Rest team in their forum. I am deeply grateful for this, as I was able to discuss a topic I was interested in with industry professionals. Post-presentation, I was able to receive modelling courses, example models, and expand my network.
