2019 SAF Strategy Case Competition: Team GUCCI presents Tesla's business case and receives third place.

 University

​At the beginning of university, I participated in a lot of SAF-related activities and was a member of AFSA. During my second year and third year, I had a goal of developing new interests and expanding my network outside of SAF. And so, I joined non-SAF clubs such as UW Toastmasters and the Improv Club. It’s always great to meet people outside your normal circle and hear about their experiences. I continued being a part of UW Toastmasters and was the president for a couple of terms. During my last year, UWaterloo Women in Finance was established. I agreed with their mandate and approach in targeting gender inequality, and so I was eager to get involved. 

It was during the middle of university that I realized I wanted to go into finance. My original goal coming into AFM was to do both CPA and CFA. I thought having both credentials would help open more doors in the future. But after two of my co-ops and taking more intermediate tax and audit courses, I realized that I didn’t really have a passion for public accounting. That’s when I switched all my attention and efforts to finance as that was something I was more interested in. 

 Co-op at BDO

​My first co-op was in Valuations at BDO. On a typical day, I would help the team with financial modelling, research, report writing and other ad hoc analyses. This role was more finance-oriented, so I was fortunate to get exposure in my first co-op. Throughout the term, my seniors and managers provided me with a lot of mentorship and guidance. I knew that if I were to go back, I would be given a lot more responsibility and ownership of the projects. This was something I really wanted, so I decided to stay with BDO Valuations for my second co-op term. ​

 Switching Co-ops

​For my third co-op term, I wanted to try something different. In AFM, we are lucky to have four co-op terms. There’s a lot of different positions and firms in both accounting and finance, so it’s very valuable to take any chance that you can get to try something new. You will never truly know what you like or what you don’t like unless you try it. Now, there are definitely opportunity costs to leaving. You will be back at the starting line and have to rebuild all of these intangible aspects like trust and goodwill. It’s a risk for sure, but thinking about the rewards, I knew this was the best choice to make. 

I then joined TD Asset Management in their Infrastructure Investments team for my third co-op. My main responsibilities were screening through potential deals, financial modelling, performing due diligence, and some asset management activities. ​

 Final co-op

​Although I really enjoyed the infrastructure space and even considered developing a long-term career in this field, I wanted to try something new again. I only had one more co-op opportunity left, so I had to make the most out of it. I got matched with a boutique investment consulting firm, but due to Covid-19, they decided to recede my offer and pause all hiring. Although the situation was a bit unfortunate, I decided to complete my last academic term and graduate early. 

The new norm: regular conference calls with 40+ investment professionals in the comfort of your own home.

 First full-time

​I am currently an analyst on the Investments team at Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB). CIB is a crown corporation with the purpose of investing in Canadian infrastructure projects and acting as a catalyst for private investment. As private investments require certain risk and return profiles, some projects may not attract sufficient interest and financing from the private sector. This is where the bank comes in – we invest because these projects are in the public interest and support economic growth for the benefit of Canadians.

I have primarily been working on Clean Power and Green Infrastructure projects. I think this is a very exciting space to be in – there has been a lot of activity as it has become a priority for both the private and public sectors. With Prime Minister Trudeau recently increasing our 2030 emissions reduction target and Canada’s pledge to become net-zero by 2050, it’s safe to expect even more activity in the Clean Power and Green Infrastructure space. ​

 Outside of work

​Over the past year, everyone has been stuck studying at home or working from home. It can feel quite suffocating being inside all the time, so I really enjoy taking walks and going for hikes when I can. I moved back to my parents' house which is in Calgary, so it’s easy to drive out and hike for a day. Another thing I am actively doing during lockdown is making sure that I remain connected with friends. After lockdowns started last spring, I lost contact with some friends. So now we would try to frequently schedule calls, virtual game nights, and stream movies together.

It’s easy to overload yourself with work, so I recommend being vocal with seniors. Let them know what you’re working on and how much capacity you have left. You don’t want to say yes to everything and end up handing in lower quality work. One thing I did when the pandemic just started was to openly communicate what I had on my plate. I regularly communicated to the associates what I was working on and the progress of each task.

 Future

​I am very happy with my current employer and team. In addition to enjoying the work here, there’s a lot of learning opportunities and people to learn from. In terms of long-term plans, my main goal is to remain in the Infrastructure industry and further develop myself as an expert in this field. 
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For a long time, I have been passionate about healthcare causes. I have volunteered for various organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Liver Foundation. I hope I can be more involved in non-profit organizations such as these, and take on the role of an organizer or board member in the future. 

 To wrap up...

​To end off, I recommend students to take any opportunity they can get. Some opportunities are very rare to come by, so even if something was unintended, don’t hesitate to try it out. There’s no harm in trying new things especially at the beginning of your career! It’s also really important to network and maintain those connections you’ve made throughout your co-ops. It’s a small world and you never know – a connection from co-op could help you secure your full-time job. ​