Coming from a very traditional and conservative Vietnamese culture and raised by like-minded parents, I was pruned to be the next ‘Doctor’ or ‘Lawyer’ in our family of seven. This had always been my parents’ ultimate desire for their youngest daughter. The status and money associated with Medicine and Law was something to aspire to from an infant age, and thus the optimal career journey to pursue.

I guess I shattered their hopes and dreams when I announced that I had no interest in being a doctor or lawyer after I completed my HSC, but I was fascinated by the world of numbers and how the economy works. At the ripe age of seventeen, I had no idea where this would take me, but I just knew that I needed to have a crack at finding answers to my 101 ‘finance’ questions. So I studied a Double Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics, and followed this up over the years with a Postgraduate Degree in Finance.

Fourteen years down the track, I am certain that I have made the right choice. Through both education and work experience, I have navigated the broad spectrum of opportunities that the world of Finance has to offer. I have worked across Business Banking, Commercial Banking, Capital Markets, Investment Management, Superannuation, Corporate Advisory, and now Insurance.

I have travelled across the world, met and have built deep relationships with a variety of extremely smart, interesting and generous people across the industry. I also feel privileged to have learnt how to overcome challenges along the way, from who I consider the best talent, and my support network.

I am definitely still learning. It is a lifelong journey but a truly rewarding one that I have no regrets in doing.

Monica Vu, Financial Risk Advisor, Suncorp