Altiorem welcomes you to the next post within a regular series, where we profile the inspiring and generous people who are making Altiorem possible.
We are excited to introduce our intern profile on the amazing Kieran Warren.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi, my name is Kieran I am a final year UTS student studying a Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Arts in International Studies majoring in Finance and Chinese language and culture.
Most recently I completed a 210hr internship with Altiorem where I learnt how finance can be used sustainably. Specifically, how investors can incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues into their fixed income portfolios.
Before my internship, I used to work in sales at an IT start-up as well as a bartender. Outside of my academic and work life I am an avid traveler. I have traveled across Europe, Central America and Asia where I lived in China for a year. My hobbies involve rugby union, touch footy, scuba diving and skiing.
What attracted me to Altiorem?
What drew me to become a contributor at Altiorem lied in my passion for finance and the environment. Growing up I always had a strong love for the outdoors and nature, fostered not only from living close to the beach but also through playing sport and hobbies, these factors helped me develop a strong appreciation for the environment which I hoped to one day be able to do something to preserve what we have and create a sustainable future.
Similarly, through my academic pursuits, I have always enjoyed finance and economics and hoped to one day work in these areas, however, I never thought I’d be able to combine both passions… until Altiorem. Thus, after scrolling through the UTS careers hub to find a potential internship I stumbled on Altiorem’s advertisement. I thought Altiorem would be an awesome opportunity to combine two things I am truly passionate about and educate myself on a smaller but soon to be a very influential part of finance.
“What drew me to become a contributor at Altiorem lied in my passion for finance and the environment”
How did you find the experience? How was it relevant to your studies?
I found the experience fantastic! As part of my internship with Altiorem I was given two projects that gave me every opportunity to tick off my university objectives, to gain some practical consulting experience as well as learning about how finance can be used in a sustainable way.
Throughout my consulting experience, I was paired with a mentor on a project where we worked together to help Altiorem improve some of their internal processes. This experience was invaluable as it gave me the opportunity to apply what I had studied at uni in a practical setting. This ranged from understanding the problem, formulating a hypothesis, analysing different data sets and then using this information to give sound recommendations. Furthermore, the hands on experience with a mentor provided me with additional industry knowledge.
Similarly, my second project focused on how sustainability can be aligned to some of my finance subjects at uni, specifically in the space of fixed income and how investors can incorporate ESG issues into their portfolios. Here I completed various research summaries and a literature review which really gave me an in-depth understanding of fixed income. Not only was I able to help build this part of the library but I was also able to help one of Altiorem’s partners, Accounting for Sustainability (A4S), in the process. A4S used these summaries to help inform and educate a large group of asset owners looking to invest sustainably. All in all, it was a great experience!
“This experience was invaluable as it gave me the opportunity to apply what I had studied at uni in a practical setting”
What was the most interesting piece you came across?
I think the most interesting piece I came across was actually a summary I completed called The Essential Guide to Debt Finance by Accounting for Sustainability. The reason being is that it put into perspective a lot of theory I had learnt at university and provided a great overview on the whole debt market. Furthermore, explaining how companies and finance providers can work towards a sustainable economy. The piece provided me with a few “ohh” and “ahh” moments.
What would you say to other people thinking about contributing to Altiorem?
Go for it! I think those that are interested and passionate about using finance to tackle some of the sustainability questions of our time this is a great way to start. A contribution can go a long way in building the library for future users as well as promoting the use of sustainability in the finance industry. It’s a great way to educate yourself in an area that might be of interest to you while connecting you with like-minded individuals.
