What's your job about?
New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) operates New Zealand’s equity, funds, derivatives energy and carbon markets. I work as a graduate analyst on the product operations team at NZX. My team manages the daily operations of the market and ensures the market is running smoothly. This includes closely observing market announcements, managing corporate actions such as dividends, emergency market halts, and more. Even as a new grad, I am given the same amount of responsibility as my close team members, which means I have had the opportunity to learn a lot as I go. The flat-management style at NZX means that you may be working closely with people at any level and everyone is very open and welcoming to questions or having a chat.
What's your background?
I studied at the University of Auckland, gaining a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance and Marketing. Before university, I attended St Cuthbert’s College in Auckland. While completing my part-time university studies, I was also campaigning for the Olympics in the 49erFX sailing class. Sailing was essentially my full-time job, and managing the campaign required extensive travel, equipment, and training logistics while focusing on race performance. I loved being on the water every day and the excitement of racing in high-pressure environments. I was also fortunate enough to travel to countries like France, Norway, Canada, and China for international regattas. When my sailing campaign ended in July 2023, I knew that I had to decide whether to start again, aiming for the 2028 Games, or move on and work on a different career. I took a step back from sailing while finishing my degree in Semester two, 2023 and decided to start applying for jobs. A graduate role really appealed to me as I knew I had a lot of valuable skills from my campaign but no experience in a formal workplace, and I wanted to be able to grow in a completely different environment. I was excited when I got offered the job at NZX as I could see the value of their grad programme and the opportunity to learn in a different high-pressure environment of running the NZ stock market.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, I think anyone with the ability to learn quickly and manage tasks efficiently could do my role. While I studied finance at university, it is not essential for working at NZX, you learn so much as you go with or without previous financial knowledge.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
My favourite thing about my job is the high-pressure moments that come from being at the centre of the New Zealand market. I get to see how the stock exchange works from the inside and be a part of the fast changes that can happen in the market.
What are the limitations of your job?
My favourite thing about my job is the high-pressure moments that come from being at the centre of the New Zealand market. I get to see how the stock exchange works from the inside and be a part of the fast changes that can happen in the market.
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