Kylie Kuan

7:00 AM

This is when my first alarm goes off. I would be lying if I said that I usually get out of bed immediately. I leave my flat on Thorndon Quay just after 8:00 am, and contrary to popular (and justifiable) perceptions of Wellington roads, the walk to work is flat and easy.

8:30 AM

I usually start my day by scanning news articles that are relevant to my portfolio of entities. Being an analyst in the Treasury’s Commercial Performance team and an agent of shareholding Ministers, I am expected to stay on top of current issues that may be impacting entities’ performances. A topical challenge for most entities is the supply chain disruption brought on by COVID-19, which has flow-on effects on the Crown’s commercial portfolio, such as increased production costs and reduced productivity – which ultimately affects the Crown’s bottom line (and taxpayers’ money!). See below for the view from my favourite seat at work.

9:30 AM

I am engaged in a conversation with the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Finance of an entity in my portfolio. Of many other matters, we discussed the current challenges faced by the entity, which includes the possibility of losing its significant revenue streams due to policy changes and shift in global demands.

10:30 AM

Usually at this time, our directorate would have morning tea and participate in the Dominion Post quiz. Unfortunately, due to the Red traffic light setting, this cannot go ahead as planned. My colleague and I decided to take a quick break and head to Lambton Quay for a coffee and catch up on our separate work streams instead.

12:00 PM

Every fortnight, my team organises a ‘Brown Bag Lunch’ meeting. Pre-COVID-19, this is where we bring our lunches to a meeting room and participate in a discussion, or watch a presentation prepared by a colleague or a guest speaker. These sessions are centered around information that may be helpful for our work streams. For example, a few months ago, we had a presentation on commercial valuations, delivered by a team member who has extensive experience in corporate finance. Today’s virtual session is led by our Governance and Appointments team, a team we work closely with, presenting on its framework for board appointments recommendations.

1:00 PM

One of the things I am working on is assessing the performance of my portfolio of entities. An entity’s performance is assessed across four dimensions: strategy, investment and alignment; leadership; organisation; and results. This assessment is done in preparation of reporting to Ministers on the key performance issues and opportunities of the Crown’s commercial companies and entities. This exercise also identifies actions required to help entities manage its risks and opportunities in the short-to-medium term.

2:30 PM

I am preparing my study proposal, to be reviewed by my manager. The Treasury is very supportive of career development opportunities for its staff and has a generous study assistance policy. Recently, under the policy, I have passed my Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 exam, and will be starting my CFA Level 2 studies soon. See photo below for when a few of us in the team went for a celebratory coffee, after receiving my CFA Level 1 results.

3:00 PM

After our daily quiz session, I received a call from an entity’s Chief Financial Officer, advising of issues related to a multi-million-dollar project that Ministers have an interest in. Shortly after, I informed the relevant Ministers’ offices of this update as the news may be contentious.

4:30 PM

I have a meeting with another government agency to discuss a policy proposal that may have an impact on the commercial operations of an entity that I am responsible for. Keeping channels of communications open with different agencies enables better information sharing, which would allow agencies to provide Ministers with the best advice possible.

6:30 PM

If it is a nice day in Wellington, I usually go for a run by the waterfront after work. Having lived in Wellington for four years now, I find myself constantly (and not literally) running into people I know – which always adds a nice touch to the end of my day.