FLASH FRIDAY is a weekly content series looking at the past, present and future of capital markets trading and technology. FLASH FRIDAY is sponsored by Instinet, a Nomura company.
Previously this summer we introduced promising Generation Z financial/fintech professionals from Clear Street and Robinhood Markets.
Today we continue our whirlwind get-to-know-Gen-Z tour with a quick intro to a couple T. Rowe Price zoomers.
Jane McAvoy, Investment Fellow, T. Rowe Price
Briefly describe your educational background and work experience, including current role/responsibilities.
I earned a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame in May of 2023 where I studied economics with a financial economics and econometrics concentration. I am currently an Investment Fellow at T. Rowe Price, which is a two-year rotational program in the investment division.
How did you get interested in asset management?
Being a student at Notre Dame provided a rewarding trade off where the rigorous academics met the strong alumni network along with a variety of investment-pertaining clubs.
For example, the Art of Investing course that I took my senior year provided a unique opportunity where founders of tech start-ups to management of top venture capital, private equity, asset management firms shared career advice and guidance. The networking opportunities as a member of the Monogram Club, made up of former and current varsity athletes, helped me realize that being on a team and competing provides intangibles for a successful career in finance / asset management.
On a more academic note, I published a senior honors economics thesis on the predictive properties for crude oil and gasoline that focused on drawdown environments, which helped develop my strong interest in macroeconomic research. I even have a shirt that says, ‘Invest Like a Champion Today’!
What is the best aspect of your job?
As an Investment Fellow, I have rotated within T. Rowe Price’s centralized private equity team, the Multi-asset Division’s’ systematic investing group and its quantitative research team, and now on the Equity Trading desk. Though the six-month rotations go by fast, they are very enriching! I am developing transferable skills through projects that have strengthened my industry knowledge. Through projects assigned, these rotations have given me the opportunity to add direct value to these teams, and in return, I have developed transferable quantitative and fundamental skills.
Any notable mentors, that you’d like to recognize?
Throughout my career at T. Rowe Price thus far, I have had incredible sponsors such as Phil Nestico, Bob Harlow and Rob Panariello, managers Morgan Rynkiewicz, Nick Welsh and Tyler Krus, as well as supportive mentors including Kim DeDominicis, Christina Kellar, Rebecca Lahar and Reagan Huber, just to name a few!
What do you like to do outside work?
Outside of work, I like coaching lacrosse and volunteering at non-profits in Baltimore City. I also enjoy running and I am currently training for my first marathon!
What is your social media platform of choice?
Instagram, because it is a very convenient way to stay in touch with friends and because of all its different functionalities (i.e., stories, reels, threads, and shopping).
Is it true Gen Z hates to talk on the phone?
I highly doubt it. Talking over the phone pays dividends as it allows one to practice basic communication skills that some might overlook!
Flash forward 20 years: What does your career look like?
I hope that my career in 20 years has led me on a path to a role where I can use my developed intuition to make investment and management decisions with strong conviction, while still wanting to continuously learn.
Flash forward 20 years: what does the financial industry / fintech look like?
With the rise in technology and innovation in the industry (i.e., trading technology, company research, artificial intelligence and machine learning), fintech lends itself to having a heightened demand for specialized jobs. In 20 years, I expect that as an industry, humans will continue to use technology/data-driven analysis as a tool to back-up their investment decision-making that only humans can properly make.
How optimistic are you in your generation’s ability to step up and lead (companies, industries, governments) when the time comes?
I am highly optimistic! When the time comes, those who are self-driven and seek to dive deeper into their work while leveraging mentorship from those who have walked the same path before, will continue their legacy of excellence!
If you could have dinner / coffee with anyone famous (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
Lindsay Vonn! Besides the fact that I love skiing and always looked up to her when watching the Winter Olympics, she was the main speaker at the Women’s Investing Summit at Notre Dame my senior year. There she talked more about her entrepreneurial career that I was not aware of when growing up. I was in awe listening to the successful career path that she had created beyond the slopes all while facing adversity with numerous almost career-ending injuries. I was inspired!
Ayotunde Yoyin, Senior Analyst, Trading Analytics, T. Rowe Price
Briefly describe your educational background and work experience, including current role/responsibilities.
After receiving my degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering (concentration in Analytics & Data Science) from Georgia Tech, I briefly held a Data Science role at Dell within their assortment team before joining T. Rowe Price. In my current role, I use quantitative analysis to support, inform, and enhance investment decisions through the analysis of transaction costs.
What is the best aspect of your job?
The best aspect of trading analytics is the creativity that can be expressed when problem solving. The exploration of the combinations and derivatives of potential solutions keeps the job ever-fascinating.
What is your social media platform of choice?
My social media platform is X (fka. Twitter) because of the ability there is to intake mass amounts of information on various topics with the additional elements of the sentiment, perspective, and discussion surrounding the topics not always present through the news or other main sources of general information/current events.
Flash forward 20 years: what does the industry look like?
In 20 years, I believe much more of the technology utilized for trading will implement data-driven support to better inform decisions made while trading. There also exists an opportunity for financial institutions to expand their capability and business overall using digital assets.
How optimistic are you in your generation’s ability to step up and lead when the time comes?
I believe in our generation’s ability to lead because of advancements in technology that allow us to remain updated and informed at the highest level, which are important when it comes to the responsibility of leadership and making vital decisions while maximizing all considerations.
What skills are essential for success in finance/fintech?
I believe adaptation is one of the most essential skills for success in the finance industry because how rapidly changes occur within the universe of finance across all asset classes.
