What did you study at university?
I completed a combined undergraduate degree in advanced mathematics (pure & applied) / aerospace engineering.
What is your role at VivCourt Trading? Can you explain what a Quant Trader does?
I am the team lead of a systematic portfolio trading desk at VivCourt. My main responsibilities are: managing the major projects to expand and improve our systems; overseeing and contributing to our R&D process; and keeping a close eye on the markets, ensuring we have an action plan for all sorts of different circumstances that could present to us. On top of this, I manage a highly talented team and ensure they have everything they need to be successful in their roles.
Before coming to VivCourt you worked as a researcher… Can you give us a high-level overview of what you did?
Before joining VivCourt I worked at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics over a summer break. My research focussed on developing new models to improve flight planning computational efficiency.
How has this helped/transferred across to what you do now?
Quantitative trading is a complex discipline that combines elements of software development, mathematical modelling, statistics, data science and many other skills. It requires a keen ability to reason conceptually, think scientifically and generalise knowledge. Working on challenging research projects helps sharpen these skills, providing exposure to fundamental mathematical and computational techniques.
Describe your journey at VivCourt as an intern to your current role as a team lead.
I started at VivCourt as an intern in August 2014. The company had a very raw start-up feel at that time; only about 20 employees worked together in a small office. I got a chance to be exposed to many different areas of trading over the years: Korean options, emerging markets, ETF market making, and high-frequency and medium-frequency quantitative trading. It was tough for me at the beginning; I didn’t know anybody in the trading industry, and it was a completely new world from engineering and maths. I was very fortunate to receive guidance and support from some excellent leaders in the firm, especially in the inevitable tough moments. I worked hard to continuously improve my knowledge and skills, which is very important as traders must continuously adapt and innovate as the market changes.
What sort of person succeeds in Trading?
Trading is extremely competitive, with high expectations and pressure. The markets are harsh; they take no prisoners and have little tolerance for mistakes. Some of the most important attributes many successful traders share are: having sharp attention to detail; determination and grit to work as hard as necessary; being proactive towards opportunities and risks; using creativity to innovate while remaining highly pragmatic; and a hunger to master your craft and continuously be better and more knowledgeable.
What do you love most about your work?
There are many aspects of my work that I love! I enjoy the intellectual challenge and the technical conversations and projects that my team can engage with. It’s also very rewarding to have a tight feedback loop from the work you do and the success you can achieve. I love complex systems and innovative solutions, and trading is one of the hardest disciplines to succeed in. There is a lot of satisfaction for example in implementing a new model and seeing it reduce our drawdowns or increase our profitability.
One bit of advice for prospective interns/graduates?
Be curious and hungry to learn and push yourself. Always be open to knowledge and feedback. Double-check all of your work. Learn everything you can from your mistakes. Work hard and go the extra mile.