Tessa Cameron
Bachelor of Commerce (BCom)
For Tessa Cameron a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in finance and economics helped her develop into the entrepreneurial business women she is today.
Otago was the only option Tessa considered for her tertiary education.
“For me it was always Otago. Dunedin has a great vibe and it is a fantastic city for students. It's a university city rather than a city with a university. I think what attracted me the most was the diversity of subjects and people.”
Tessa knew she wanted to study commerce and quickly settled on finance after speaking to a recent Otago finance graduate.
“He recommended studying finance as he had found it was the commerce major most respected by employers. My own experience has proven this beyond doubt.”
During her studies Tessa became quite intrigued with the stock market.
“I remember following the US stock exchange for a month during the height of the 'war on terror' and watching how movements in the market corresponded to news from the war. It was a fascinating exercise and it amazed me how much speculation occurred.”
After graduating Tessa secured a role with the Bank of New Zealand which involved organising foreign trade payments for 120 clients.
“The bank was impressed with my degree and I worked hard to live up to expectations of an Otago finance graduate. It wasn't long before I found I could hold my own in financial discussions with senior staff, and within two years I received two promotions.”
Ready for a new challenge and keen to put her broader business skills to the test, Tessa recently took up a role with entrepreneurial start-up HotShots International.
“At HotShots I do a bit of everything. I build and develop relationships with existing and potential clients, and plan and organise presentations for big contracts and prospective investors. I'm also involved with marketing the business. It's a varied and exciting role.”
Tessa believes a finance degree isn't just suited to those with Wall St in their sights, finance skills can be applied anywhere. Her advice for someone interested in business? “Study Finance!”
