From Actuarial Mathematics to a Lead Trader

What was your path to DRW?

Following the completion of my Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Mathematics at Concordia University, I spent a year in the insurance industry before joining DRW. With limited knowledge of both the company and the finance sector, a persuasive friend and DRW employee suggested that I apply for a market research analyst role. I worked on that team until I joined Flow Macro as a trader 8 years ago.

Please describe your current role and day-to-day responsibilities and projects?

I trade macroeconomic and geopolitical news. The goal is to be first to capture unscheduled market opportunities, ranging anywhere from central bank speeches to developments affecting oil supply. In addition, I manage the European trading team, helping traders optimize their performance while enhancing communication between the two shifts.

What is your favorite part of your job?/ What is the most challenging part of your job?

Being in control of my own success and the instant results that come with trading are my favorite parts of the job. When I exit a trade, the feedback I get from the market is instant. It helps me improve at a faster pace and constantly motivates me to be better. I will not surprise anyone by saying that trading is a stressful job. The most challenging part is finding the mental strength needed to deal with losses. We need to treat every trade as unique and be able to rebound quickly from failures.

What 3 skills are key for someone interested in joining the Flow Macro team at DRW?

In order to be a successful trader on our team, the candidate would need to be resilient, disciplined and curious. A healthy dose of introspection is helpful as well. The rest can be learned!

What is your favorite thing about the Montreal office?

I love that we all work hard but we also have many opportunities to mingle outside of work, through our rich social calendar. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have catered breakfast and lunch on the daily.