The first cohort of Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours) students at UQ graduated in 2019, amid the upheaval of the financial world and job market. But the resulting widespread uncertainty didn’t stop them from thriving.
In fact, program leader Professor Stephen Gray says these students secured a disproportionate share of the top investment banking jobs since their graduation.
Part of something special: the inaugural BAFE UQ cohort
The Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours) (BAFE) is an advanced, accelerated program with selective entry, comparatively small cohorts and strong industry engagement.
Kate Mann was one of the first students to enrol in the program in 2016. During her studies, Kate won a University Medal for achieving outstanding academic results. This is an award only 5 per cent of all first-class honours graduates receive.
It shouldn't be surprising, then, that she secured a role in her chosen industry soon after graduation.
"The program seamlessly combined economics and finance in a way that helped me to develop the transferrable skill set required to tackle the dynamic global economy", Kate says.
The program offers students unique opportunities to work with world-class academic staff and establish strong links with leading employers. Kate says during her studies she met inspiring women in finance who encouraged her to explore her passions and try new things.
“In one class, my team had the opportunity to complete an assignment collaboratively with Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC)."
Kate credits her teachers when reflecting on the best parts of her study experience.
“Most of all, I loved having Professor Stephen Gray as a mentor," she says.
“Steve worked tirelessly to ensure graduates of our program met the growing needs of the industry. He never hesitated to listen and incorporated student feedback into the program. This means that new students are now taking courses shaped by the industry experiences of those who have gone before them.”
When it came to extracurricular activities, Kate was keen to make the most of these opportunities to help her stand out amongst other graduates.
"During my studies, I gained a solid academic framework and the necessary tools to excel in the workforce," she says.
“I was fortunate enough to take on leadership roles in several of my courses. I was also the Sponsorship Director for the UQ Economics Society. These experiences shaped my soft skills and leadership skills, which are critical in a client-facing industry like finance.”
Fostering strong career connections
The program also offers students the opportunity to forge lifelong personal and professional connections with their peers.
"I was lucky enough to meet people with the same drive, intellectual rigour and enthusiasm as myself," Kate says.
"University life can be daunting, and so can entering the real world. But it was assuring to know I was not alone and that I could rely on my network to provide support and encouragement."
These connections proved to be a comfort to her during the COVID-19 2020 border closures between Queensland and New South Wales.
“I didn’t anticipate the borders would remain closed for as long as they did, so I decided to stay in Sydney," Kate says.
"I found it quite hard to be away from my family during the crisis. But I felt grateful to have a wonderful network in Sydney, including many UQ alumni that I could rely on."
Despite now working on the other side of the world in London, Kate is still surrounded by the support of UQ BAFE connections. She lives with someone who was in the year after her and regularly sees others who were in her cohort.
“It has definitely made it easier to have my university friends with me on the other side of the world,” she says.
Kate’s graduate career in finance
After successfully navigating the graduate recruitment process, Kate secured a role as a corporate advisory analyst at Lazard.
In this role, Kate provided support to the more senior members of her team on projects by assisting with research, creating presentations and excel modelling.
She says completing the Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours) at UQ taught her the importance of an agile business strategy and to strive to remain one step ahead of the pack. Graduating at the start of the pandemic also taught her to think about the bigger picture.
“Given the ever-changing global landscape, I think it’s unrealistic to have a specific career aspiration,” she says.
“I hope I can continue to work in a finance or business-related role. But most importantly, I aspire to embody the same determination, fearlessness and tenacity as the many inspiring women I had the honour of working alongside during my internships.”
Kate’s advice for those who have recently graduated or will be soon is to avoid being too harsh on yourself.
"It’s inevitable in your first year of work that you will face a learning curve and that you’ll make mistakes. I have learned the best way to improve is to take setbacks in your stride and take each day as a new learning experience."
After spending 1 year at Lazard, Kate moved to the Principal Finance team within Macquarie Capital at Macquarie Bank. She worked there for almost 2 years and then transferred internally to the Private Credit team within the Principal Finance team at Macquarie in London. After 1.5 years there, Kate started as an associate at AshGrove Capital, an independent pan-European specialty lender focused on software and services businesses.
With such an impressive career trajectory already underway, we look forward to seeing where Kate goes next.
Interested in becoming a leading economist or financiar? Learn more about UQ's Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours).
