Plato Investment Management

University of Queensland Bachelor of Commerce student, Victoria Ng recently completed an internship with the Plato team in Sydney. Victoria is a recipient of the Plato Investment Management Women in Finance Scholarship. 

Here’s an insight into her experience as an investment management intern with the Plato team.

What led you to your internship?

I was a second year Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Queensland and received an email regarding the Plato Women in Finance Scholarships from a UQ Alumni Officer.

After conducting some research about the firm and the scholarship, I noticed that the purpose of the scholarship and opportunities it would open up was very much aligned to my goals and interests. Several weeks after I applied for the scholarship, I was invited for an interview and then later advised that I won the scholarship. As part of the program, I was offered the opportunity to participate in an internship program with Plato and thought that it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the firm and its industry. 

What sort of work did you undertake during the internship?

Although my internship was only 3 weeks, I gained a holistic view of Plato and its industry. During my internship, I worked on a paper surrounding the topic of decarbonisation and its impacts on portfolios in different regions. We found that in regions (such as Europe and Japan) where climate policies have been enforced consistently, high carbon names have been underperforming. This serves as an important indication of the likely trends that will unfold in the near future in other regions. 

Throughout the process, from the brainstorming to drafting stages, I received constant advice and support from the team, which enabled me to further develop my understanding of the topic. 

During my time at Plato, I was also able to learn about each person’s role and how they were able to apply their diverse backgrounds and prior experiences to their current role.

Can you point out any interesting facts you’ve discovered about Plato?

I found the make-up of the Plato team quite interesting. There were so many different personalities and backgrounds that were able to come together to form a team where everyone complemented each other. 

What stood out the most for me about income investing and Plato’s approach was the many different ways income could be invested- based on what you value. I now realise that there are many more dimensions to income investing and so many more ways to get the outcome you want.

What do you think can be done to encourage more women to consider a career in finance?

It is vital for more females to choose or even consider finance as a career. I think many females perceive the industry as “for men” or one “suited to men”, but the work that is done in finance is not and never will be restricted by our gender. The finance industry is a broad field and if anyone has an interest in the field, they should just immerse themselves into it, give it a go and learn more about what interests you! 

I was encouraged to consider finance as a career path after seeing some inspiring women excel in this field and I think bringing more attention to women that have taken this path and how they have navigated their way through will definitely encourage more women in finance. 

What Plato has done to provide opportunities for females have also empowered us to gain more confidence in this field, and to truly discover our interests and talents in finance.

Where to from here for you studies and career?

I would like to gain experience in both the buy side and sell side – there are valuable skills that I can gain from such environments and it will also give me a holistic view of the industry. I’m not sure where I will be in 10 years but after the Plato internship, I’m sure that I like finance!

To find out more about careers with Plato Investment Management, email careers@pinnacleinvestment.com