Risk Management Group
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Cherry
Associate “Management are very open to and accepting of new ideas” |
What attracted you to Credit?
I was attracted to Credit because of its diversity. Initially, I was interested in a role in the Risk Management Group (RMG) and after interviews with various RMG representatives, I found Credit to be a perfect match for my skill set. I was looking for a role that allowed me to apply and further develop the skills I gained through my academic studies and extracurricular activities. Coming from a finance and legal background, Credit provided a good mixture of quantitative and qualitative work.
What does your role entail?
I am an associate credit analyst. I perform credit assessment and propose rating recommendations on trading and loan counterparties. This involves conducting a combination of financial statement analysis, business analysis, industry analysis, as well as ensuring sufficient legal documentation is in place to mitigate counterparty credit risk. I liaise with the trading desks to facilitate their trade requirements and ensure their activities are within Macquarie’s risk management framework.
As a graduate did you feel your ideas were listened to?
Management are very open to and accepting of new ideas. Keep in mind that new graduates bring in fresh eyes to existing processes and problems. I have now become a point of contact for my team for new initiatives and developments in Credit.
What advice would you give to a graduate joining Macquarie?
It may seem clichéd, but don’t be afraid to let others know that you do not understand and ask for clarification and assistance. If you make a mistake, do not be afraid to ask for help. Everyone is as serious about their work as they are about nurturing and developing junior staff.
What type of training and development have you undertaken to date?
I have undertaken two-weeks of intensive training on areas relevant to Credit, including accounting, compliance, finance, financial modelling, legal documents and credit risks associated with different Macquarie businesses. My team and division organise regular training sessions to share experiences on recent transactions as well as industry-specific knowledge and internal processes. I have also recently started on my CFA. Overall there are many development opportunities at Macquarie and for me, no one day has gone by at work without learning something new.
Are people too busy to help?
There is always work to be done in the office, but no one is too busy to help .There is a lot of collegiality in Credit. Team members are happy to assist one another especially junior staff.
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Mike
Associate “Everyone is respected for what they know and what they contribute to the organisation” |
What level of responsibility are you given as a graduate?
Being a graduate isn’t held against you- you are given more responsibility as soon as you show that you are ready for it.
What is the work culture like?
The first thing I noticed is that not a lot of attention is paid to hierarchy. Everyone is respected for what they know and what they contribute to the organisation.
As a graduate did you feel your ideas were listened to?
Yes. One of the best things about Macquarie is that as soon as you have something to contribute, people take your input and ideas seriously – regardless of time spent on the job.
What advice would you give to a graduate joining Macquarie?
As my boss said, “be a sponge”. Learn as much as you can as quickly as you can – it will be very rewarding when you feel as though you are contributing something to your team.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The best thing about working in Market Risk is the variability of work. I spend half my time crunching data on the computer, and half my time having animated discussions with traders and other Macquarie staff. And because Market Risk covers all trading areas of Macquarie, I get to learn about a number of different markets. You absorb a lot of information and get to know a lot of people.
Are people too busy to help?
Everyone is busy, but more than willing to answer questions or just discuss something interesting. The culture in Market Risk is very much about bouncing ideas off each other, and I find that one of the best ways to learn.
