at Otago - School of Business, University of Otago, New Zealand ...

GRADUATE PROFILE
Mike Burrowes
Portfolio Manager -The Reserve Bank of New Zealand
BCom, BA (Hons)
After completing his Economics
honours degree, Reserve Bank of
New Zealand (RBNZ) Portfolio
Manager Mike Burrowes felt ready
to enter the workforce – but he
soon found that the knowledge and
skills gained while studying had to
have real world applications.
Mike was initially employed as a
Markets Analyst through RBNZ’s
graduate recruitment programme,
and received an early introduction
to the complexity, and volatility, of
the markets he would be working
in.
“On my third day the US Federal
Reserve cut interest rates by 0.75%
in a shock move shortly before the
Global Financial Crisis. I’d never
seen this in a text book, but my
University of Otago education
served as a good foundation to
understand such developments.”
This role provided invaluable
experience preparing snap-shots
of developments in global financial
markets, as well as medium-term
research to better understand how
financial markets function.
Mike is now a Portfolio Manager,
involved in managing New
Zealand’s foreign exchange
reserves, providing analysis on
developments with the New
Zealand dollar, and trading global
currency and fixed interest markets.
He says his career path was in part
due to some good guidance from
a high school economics teacher
who suggested that an Economics
degree from Otago, followed by
work at the RBNZ, would mean
that the “world would be his
oyster”.
“Looking back this was very wise
advice. Otago offered strong
academic courses and a great
social environment. A first-class
Economics honours degree from
Otago, combined with a Finance
degree, was very well regarded
by potential employers and these
qualifications helped my CV stand
out in the pile.”
Mike’s advice would be to
consider doing more than
a degree. “In my case, an
honours degree gave me a
much deeper understanding
of economic theory and
made me more attractive in
the job market.”
19