Julia Lee is an equities analyst at Bell Direct.
What drew you to financial services and funds management?
I tried to open up a restaurant (I love food) during Uni and took out a loan from the bank using a Uni assignment I did. I got the loan but the restaurant didn’t work out. I had to pay back the loan and answered an ad in the paper asking “Do you want to be a stockbroker?”. I’ve never looked back.
What do you like about working in this industry?
I love analysing companies and learning new things all the time – from new advances in medical science to electric cars and batteries, it’s interesting and different each day.
What advice would you give to young women starting out?
Go with a career where experience counts. That way as you get older your career gets better. And back yourself.
What has been your most successful investment?
From a purely financial point of view A2 milk, which I first bought it for 49.5 cents and now it’s around about $12. From a career point of view, the books that I’ve read and learnt from. From a personal perspective, the time I’ve put into building my own little family.
Sarah Shaw is global portfolio manager and chief investment officer of 4D Infrastructure.
What drew you to financial services and funds management?
The diversity of the role incorporating strong numeracy, analysis, stock market dynamics, effective communication and marketing/sales – makes for an interesting and challenging career where no two days are the same, particularly when markets are moving and active management becomes critical. Also, performance (and success in execution of the role) is easily measured through long term returns to investors
What do you like about working in this industry?
I enjoy the diversity of the role (life is never dull) and I am passionate about what I do and truly believe in the opportunities of the sector I specialise in, namely infrastructure – I endeavour to use this passion to generate the best possible returns for our investors, which is very rewarding.
What advice would you give to young women starting out?
The advice I would like to give a younger me starting out in the funds industry is:
- Believe in yourself and have conviction in your ideas.
- Never stop learning and improving.
- Don’t try to be everything to everyone – play to your strengths and expertise and leave the rest to others – that is why you are part of a team.
- Don’t regret never giving it a go… and if you do give it a go, make sure you do so believing success is the only possible outcome
Finally, I’d like to channel CoCo Chanel who said “The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud” and that’s what I encourage my team to do, and what I try to do every day in managing the portfolio.
What has been your most successful investment?
In terms of a single security exposure – our best absolute performer over the last two years has been Brazilian rail operator Rumo. This was a turn around story capitalising on both the recovery of the Brazilian economy as well as successful restructuring of the Company operations and balance sheet – this stock has nearly tripled since we invested.
Since inception of the 4D Fund our most successful thematic investment has been an overweight to global airports – we like airports as they are directly correlated to the improving global macro environment but also to the emergence of the middle class in developing economies which is a theme we are very positive on as infrastructure investors and will be for years to come.
It is forecast that the global middle class will grow at 160 million people per annum for the next 5 years, with 88% of that growth occurring in Asia – if you consider that approximately 5% of the Chinese population currently have a passport the need for global airport infrastructure as the middle class evolves is staggering. This is a theme we capitalise on in both emerging markets and developed market investment opportunities. Over the last two years our airport exposure is up anywhere between 30-75%
Penny Pryor is editor of the Switzer Report and a financial journalist.
What drew you to financial services?
I’ve always liked maths and numbers and solving problems. I started work as a junior economist and discovered I also liked writing, so financial journalism was the perfect way to combine both.
What do you like about working in this industry?
I like learning new things and I like that writing about financial services or companies gives me the opportunity to do that. For example by writing about Sirtex, a company that develops and administers a cancer treatment, I’ve been able to learn about what is happening in specific medical areas.
What advice would you give to young women starting out?
I’d have to agree with both Julia and Sarah and say; ‘back yourself”. I think we all say it because it’s quite a hard thing to do when you’re young and starting out. Also, it’s ok to be different and have a different approach to things. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it’s just different.
What has been your most successful investment?
I’d have to say my home. I was fortunate to buy it before property values took off and while Blue Mountains prices haven’t had the astronomical increases that Sydney prices have (nor are as stable), it’s more than doubled in value in a short period. And it terms of providing a happy and stable home for my little family, it’s been priceless.
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