Meet Tiana Ding, one of the impressive winning team members from our 2025 Investment Competition. As her prize, Tiana chose an internship with Schroders, and was offered the role of Investment Product Analyst at the end of it. Well done! Here Tiana shares her experience and highlights from the competition and internship.
I’m a 22-year-old final year student at UNSW studying a Bachelor of Commerce and Economics, majoring in Finance. I’m a spontaneous and outgoing person who enjoys spending time with friends and family, as well as travelling and experiencing different cultures around the world.
What interests me most about a career in investment management and advice is the combination of analytical problem-solving and relationship building. As someone who genuinely enjoys staying up to date with markets, macroeconomic trends, and financial news, I’m drawn to the process of understanding how these factors influence investment decisions and using those insights to help clients achieve their long-term financial goals.
As someone who wanted to break into investment management, this competition was incredibly valuable because it allowed me to apply my interest in markets and macroeconomic trends to real-world portfolio construction and investment decisions in a fast-paced team environment. Winning the competition also helped me get my foot in the door within the industry and reinforced my passion for investment management and strategic decision-making. The most challenging aspect was navigating uncertainty and balancing differing perspectives within the team, but it ultimately strengthened my critical thinking and communication skills.
My team and I prepared for the Q&A by working closely alongside strict deadlines and frequently calling to ensure the main case was completed early. This gave us a few days before the competition to focus specifically on potential judges’ questions, where we challenged one another on our thesis, investment rationale, and market views.
Yes, I definitely think it would’ve been helpful to connect with a real investor in the lead-up to the competition, particularly to test our investment thesis and receive feedback on how we communicated our rationale and handled questions. While we didn’t formally have someone review our case, during my internship at Schroders, I was fortunate to be surrounded by investment professionals, and through conversations with them, I gained insight into how investors think about markets, risk, and portfolio construction. I think having access to that kind of perspective is incredibly valuable, especially for bridging the gap between technical analysis and real-world investment decision-making.
HOT TIP: That’s exactly what Career Connect can do – match you with an investor for a 45-minute virtual conversation to discuss your investment case and provide real-word feedback and guidance.
My biggest piece of advice would be to start early and communicate consistently with your team. Beyond having strong technical analysis, make sure you deeply understand the rationale behind every recommendation because the judges’ questions can often test your thinking process rather than just your final answer. Most importantly, enjoy the experience and be open to learning, as the competition is a great opportunity to develop both your technical and interpersonal skills while meeting like-minded people interested in the industry.
My advice to this year's comp participants is to make sure you deeply understand the rationale behind every recommendation because the judges’ questions can often test your thinking process rather than just your final answer.
I completed an internship at Schroders from January through to May 2026, where I rotated across the Equities, Products, and Multi-Asset/Fixed Income teams. Through these rotations, I gained exposure to different areas of investment management, including investment research, portfolio analysis, and broader market strategy, which allowed me to develop a more holistic understanding of how an investment manager operates. One of the key reasons I chose Schroders was its strong global reputation and recognition as a leader within the asset management industry, making it an ideal environment to learn from experienced professionals and broaden my understanding of financial markets.
What I enjoyed most about the internship was that across every rotation, it genuinely felt like I was contributing value and gaining exposure to different parts of the investment process. From backfilling the role of an Equity Product Analyst to attending meetings with senior executives and management teams from companies such as CBA, Woolworths, BHP, and Société Générale, the experience gave me incredible insight into both the technical and relationship-driven aspects of investment management.
My biggest learning was adapting my thinking and approach with each rotation, as every team viewed markets, risk, and investment decisions through a slightly different lens, which really broadened my understanding of the industry. Overall, the internship further inspired me to pursue a career in investment management because it reinforced how much I enjoy the fast-paced, analytical, and constantly evolving nature of the work.
Yes, definitely. Throughout each rotation cycle, I was fortunate to have incredibly supportive managers, particularly Natalie, Justin, and Kellie, who all played a huge role in guiding and mentoring me throughout the internship. Beyond that, everyone across the teams I worked with was very generous with their time and always willing to explain their roles, thought processes, and perspectives on markets, which made the learning experience even more valuable. The network and relationships I’ve formed at Schroders are something I value greatly, and the experience has definitely opened the door to more opportunities, industry insights, and long-term professional connections.
Registration for the 2026 Investment Competition opens shortly. You can pre-register your interest here and you’ll be the first to know when registration officially opens.
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Winning the Investment Competition has helped me get my foot in the door within the industry and reinforced my passion for investment management and strategic decision-making.