What's your job about?

KordaMentha is an investment and advisory firm comprising of 5 services lines – corporate, forensic, investments, real estate and restructuring. I work within the real estate team which provides a number of services including asset management, development management, corporate real estate advisory, lender and debt advisory, investment management, project sales and marketing, transaction management and property funds investment and management.

I have expanded on two of the services below:

• Development management: We are in a joint venture with a company that develops residential and industrial properties in Western Sydney. My tasks involve preparing investment papers for new projects, monitoring feasibilities, attending monthly site visits and preparing updates and reports for the investments team.
• Transaction management: This typically involves working with a lender to recover secured funds. Depending on the condition of the property when we get involved, it may include finishing the project or completing remediation work. My tasks involve site visits, meeting with agents, organising valuations, preparing agent recommendation reports, reviewing contracts, managing leases, preparing update reports, organising tradesmen and managing the sale process.

What's your background?

I grew up in Brisbane and after graduating I began studying architecture at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). However, after two years I came to the realisation that architecture wasn’t for me. I changed courses to property economics which was more suited to the career path I wanted and used architecture as my major – so it wasn’t all for nothing.  

During my studies, I spent 9 months travelling and studying in Europe where I attended the University of Leeds which was the highlight of my early twenties (I highly recommend studying abroad if you ever get the chance). Towards the end of my studies, I knew I wanted to live in Sydney and began the process of applying for jobs down here. After a couple of months searching I managed to secure an analyst position within the KordaMentha real estate team where I have been for nearly 2 years.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

I think it is necessary to have a background in property. You don’t have to study property economics however a similar property related course is essential.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

The most enjoyable part of my job is the development work we do with our joint venture partners. It’s tangible – it’s great to work on a project from concept to completion and physically see the progress along the way.

What are the limitations of your job?

The biggest limitation of the job is the number and variety of engagements. This is also a positive as each day is different however it requires a level of organisation to ensure you stay on top of the work for each job.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• Study abroad if you ever get the opportunity
• Participate in internship programs toward the end of your degree. You gain industry experience and it puts you in a better position when applying for jobs after university
• There is no harm in changing your course halfway though. If you have given it a shot and its not for you, choose something that really interests you.