AMP actuarial graduate Avanti Patki wanted to be an actuary from a young age. She shares her thoughts on study, starting work in the traditional field, and why she is excited for the future unknown of her career.

 

What was the last book you read?

Memoirs of a Geisha (I’m a sucker for historical novels!)

What do you do when you’re not working?

I love baking and trying out unfamiliar recipes. I also enjoy sketching, painting and modular origami.  A couple of my experimental works are [below/above/to the right/to the left].  Boxing, crossfit and swimming help me destress while relaxing with a good book also helps to keep the balance (personal favourites include ‘Gone with the Wind’ and ‘The Secret History’).

If I hadn’t become an actuary, I would be…

This is a tough one as I’ve wanted to be an actuary since middle school but if I had to choose, I’d be a food critic in keeping with my passion for finding the best dishes among the world’s cuisines.

What gets your goat…

Those who have a “victim” mentality.  The following quote sums it up perfectly:

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”

– Henry Ford

If you won the lottery what would you do with it?

Being a finance professional, reinvestment is a must!  Apart from that, I’d share the winnings with family and support a good cause (including non-profits working to eradicate human trafficking).  Lastly, I’d likely spend a decent-sized portion of it on traveling to places like Kakslauttanen in Finland, which is one of my dream holiday destinations.

What has been the most rewarding experience in your career so far?

The most rewarding experience has been rotating across a number of diverse and fast-paced teams, including Insurance Strategy and Asset-Liability Management, this early in my career.  It has meant that I’ve learnt to live on the edge of my comfort zone at work and fortified my stamina for rapid on-the-go learning.

Not many people know this but I…

…was lucky enough to travel to 12 different countries by the time I was eight years old

Where do you see the actuarial profession in 50 years’ time?

I couldn’t tell you even if I had a crystal ball because the profession could take as many paths as there are actuaries in Australia today.  The future identity of the Actuary comes down to how far each of the young actuarial professionals of today choose to push the boundaries of the profession.  Personally, I would like to see actuaries (and myself) actively becoming part of the solution for some of the more pressing global issues such as climate change, human trafficking, world hunger, biodiversity depletion, terrorism etc.

 

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