Ryan Li
Associate Equity Research Analyst, Craigs Investment Partners
Master of Applied Finance
His passion for finance drove him to enrol in the Master of Applied Finance at AUT, says business alumnus Ryan Li who came to AUT as an international student from China.
“I chose this degree because I had a desire to sharpen my finance-related skills. The Master of Applied Finance curriculum at AUT suited me well, as it was based on the Candidate Body of Knowledge from the CFA programme. This has been very helpful as my goal is to become a CFA charterholder.
“If you want to get a comprehensive idea of basic finance knowledge in as little as one year, to pursue CFA designation, the AUT Master of Applied Finance is a great choice.”
Supported to thrive
Deciding to study at AUT was easy, says Ryan who achieved a grade point average of 8.75 throughout his studies.
“I came to AUT because it’s one of the top three universities in New Zealand, and it has been growing very fast. What I’ve enjoyed most about my studies here is that AUT encourages students to show initiative while providing high-quality guidance for students along the way.”
Participating in the CFA Institute Research Challenge was one of the highlights of Ryan’s studies.
“In my second semester, I participated in the 2018 CFA Institute Research Challenge, representing AUT with four of my peers. We were awarded second place in the local final. We initiated coverage of Comvita Limited, and provided investment recommendations to professionals from the industry.”
Finding success
After graduating in 2019, Ryan joined PwC New Zealand as a financial instruments valuation analyst, before recently taking up the role of associate equity research analyst at Craigs Investment Partners.
“I’m part of the Institutional Equities team at Craigs Investment Partners, supporting the team’s coverage of New Zealand’s listed dairy and energy sector through building and maintaining financial models, conducting analysis and producing equity research reports. This is quite a change from my previous role at PwC but I love trying out new things and exploring more in the finance industry.
“In this role, I've been tasked with interesting research projects, which I truly enjoy. One of the projects has been to model the impact of the decline in China's birth rate on the revenue of A2 Milk. I've had the opportunity to talk to industry experts and hospital staff, analyse surveys and statistical data, and finally build a birth forecast model and industry revenue model.”
His advice for other students is simple: don’t waste your time when you are at university.
“Hard work pays off. Talk to your lecturers and to professionals in the industry – the earlier you figure out your career direction, the better. You should also be confident and serious about your life.”
