Student Profiles
Possible career paths available to finance Honours students after study are both diverse and rewarding. Please see profiles of previous finance Honours students presented below. Each profile aims to outline each student’s area of study, achievements and current career path.
2007
Aidan Brooksby, 2007
Aidan was the only finance Honours student who achieved a first class Honours grade in 2007, a commendable achievement. His thesis focused on option mispricing in the Australian index option market. During his Honours year, Aidan was the head tutor for Options, Futures and Risk Management III.
At present, Aidan is a graduate officer for the South Australian Government Financing Authority, which is part of the Department of Treasury and Finance. We congratulate Aidan on his achievements throughout 2007.
“Throughout the Honours year I not only developed the basic skills required to conduct research, but also gained an insight into academia. It‘s definitely a challenging year, and you need to be prepared for a hard slog. However, you can be well rewarded for your efforts.”
Phuong Doan, 2007
Phuong was an extremely successful finance Honours student in 2007. During her Honours year, Phuong was offered a salaried teaching assistant position with the University, which typically involves 5 hours of teaching and course preparation per week.
Furthermore, Phuong was the only Honours finance student to be invited to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Honours Colloquium – a prestigious event, which includes a paid trip to Sydney for several days. At present Phuong is working towards a publishable version of her Honours thesis.
“I initially decided to apply for Honours finance to challenge myself, expand my knowledge and skills and increase opportunities for future career progression. Throughout my Honours year I learned greater self-discipline, research skills and how to work with greater autonomy and as part of a team. To those attempting Honours finance in coming years: Be positive, patient and keep working hard. It definitely pays off.”
Thesis: “Asset Pricing Under Higher Moments: An Empirical Test.”
Michael Goudas, 2007
During the Honours program Michael worked with the University of Adelaide’s academic staff as a tutor for Accounting Method 1 and Principles of Finance (Masters). He was later awarded the School of Commerce Award for Excellence in tutoring and the 2007 Honours Priority Scholarship.
Michael was also offered a prestigious graduate position with the Reserve Bank of Australia in Sydney, commencing 2008. At present Michael is working with his supervisor towards a publishable version of his Honours thesis.
“The Honours program is extremely tough and takes a lot of heart, soul and determination to see it through to the end. For me, it was the ultimate culmination of knowledge from my undergraduate degrees. That being said, it has been one of the most rewarding years of my life to date.”
Thesis: “Product-Market Competition and Corporate Payouts: A Case for Australian firms in the Basic Materials Industry.”
2006
Ryan Ramsey, 2006
Ryan is one of the most successful Honours graduates, achieving first class Honours. His thesis examined electricity futures and helped him gain a position with Futuris Corporation as a corporate analyst. In his work Ryan is responsible for identifying and analysing companies for acquisition by Futuris Corporation.
"My Honours year was one of the most rewarding years of my life. The skills that I developed have been invaluable in progressing my career. Honours has provided me with an in depth knowledge of finance and honed my analytical abilities."
Thesis: “Electricity, Weather and Optimal Hedging: The Case of Australia.”
2005
Tomias Byrt, 2005
Once completing the finance Honours program Tom has gone onto work for Goldman Sachs JBWere, Melbourne. With GSJBW he worked within the wealth management department as a portfolio performance analyst for high net worth clients. He has also gone onto to work with AXA Insurance providing insurance solutions for superannuation funds and top 100 companies.
"Honours was without a doubt the most challenging and rewarding year of my tertiary studies. I have found that the in-depth focus on financial concepts and research skills has given me a valuable advantage within the financial services industry, as well as providing a strong knowledge base which I continue to build upon through my participation in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program."
Thesis: “Management and Manipulation? An Investigation into the Credibility of Singapore’s Exchange Rate Target Band.”
Luke Voortman, 2005
Luke completed the finance Honours program in 2005. Since then Luke has worked his way toward a career in academia. He has worked as an associate lecturer from 2007 in the University of Adelaide Business School. He has been the lecturer in charge of Options, Futures and Risk Management and has also taught in Portfolio Theory and Management, Principles of Finance and Business Finance at the University of Adelaide.
Luke has research interests in Private Equity, Socially Responsible Investments and Behavioural Finance.
"Honours was with out a doubt the most challenging and rewarding year of study that I have undertaken. If you really want to understand finance and gain a deep insight in the field, then Honours is for you. Through completing Honours I have had the opportunity to enter into academia and perhaps more importantly grown to challenge my conceptions of the world through utilising the many skills gained in the Honours year."
Luke has a staff profile which can be accessed by clicking on this link.
Thesis: “Herding within Socially Responsilbe Investments.”
2003
  
Chee Cheong, 2003
Chee completed the finance Honours program in 2003 achieving a first class Honours grade. Chee is currently undertaking a PhD with the University of Adelaide, and has recently gained a lecturer position with Flinders University.
Chee has a staff profile which can be accessed by clicking on this link.
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