Jacqueline Brown

6.30 AM

As someone who isn't a morning person, I have a few alarms ready to wake me up to start my day. After a short yoga routine, I dress and get ready to go — usually while listening to a podcast or my favourite playlist. Having studied environmental literature at University of Oxford, I'm really interested in the climate crisis, energy transition and ESG, so I've been listening to “Zero: The Climate Race” quite a bit. Then, having gotten a little distracted by the podcast, I rush to the bus stop at the top of my street.

7.30 AM

My bus journey takes me across the Harbour Bridge each morning and, on a sunny day, the view is a nice reminder of how lucky I feel to live in a city like Sydney, especially having lived in rainy, grey England for four years prior. Once at the office, I head straight to the famous Bloomberg pantry and grab some avocado toast, a coffee, and some snacks to get me through the day. The choices are overwhelming!

7.50 AM

Once I get to my desk, I log in and check my emails and outstanding tasks, many of which come up overnight. These can be new training requests, preparations for an upcoming visit, questions from a teammate in an office in America or Europe, or even a product update from our New York office. Today, I'm going over some email correspondence with a product manager based in New York regarding some of the feedback I've gathered from clients during an awareness campaign for a new function on the Bloomberg Terminal. It's great to be involved with product development, even as a graduate.

8.00 AM

This is when my day really begins. Within the Analytics department, we help to support clients all over the world with their various workflows, whether they're a trader, analyst, or portfolio or asset manager. This morning, I'm supporting clients in America as they close out their day. Of course, this not only requires an in-depth understanding of our financial products, but also the market landscape and larger financial ecosystem. When I first started, this seemed a daunting part of the job, especially as I didn't come from a financial background. However, one of the great things about Bloomberg is the comprehensive training that you receive. I recently came back from Singapore following my commodities and FX specialty training, and now I help clients in these spaces do everything from finding commodities futures contracts and running options scenarios, to constructing Bloomberg query language formulas in Excel. Of course, like any job, it can get stressful at times. Luckily, there is a plethora of support and resources, both from those sitting around you and from teammates in Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

11.00 AM

As my other teammates in APAC come online, it’s time for a weekly meeting with the Analytics Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DE&I) taskforce. One of the ways that Analytics supports DE&I values is through the editorial that I help put together which allows those in User Support across APAC to share and celebrate their stories. Today, we are discussing our upcoming publication on "Transitions Through Life", showcasing experiences of relocation, becoming a parent or carer, and dealing with grief.

1.00 PM

As it gets to the middle of the day, it's time for a much-needed lunch break. Whether it's a small meal from the pantry, lunch I've brought from home, or a meal from one of the many takeaway spots around the building, I'll head up to the rooftop terrace with some colleagues to take in the view of the harbour and bridge (so long as it's not raining!)

2.00 PM

There are always new users on the Terminal, so after lunch I get prepared for a training session where I will be shadowing one of our clients. Many players in the financial world are reliant on our products for their day-to-day, so Analytics ensures they are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to be able to navigate the system. These sessions are also a great way for me to learn about their workflows and goals, and how Bloomberg can work to meet client needs. Today’s session is being run by one of our advanced commodities specialists for a metals analyst based in Perth. We are covering everything from spot and futures pricing and forecasts to fundamental data, news and research. It's also a nice refresher for me on the material I learnt during my specialist training.

3.00 PM

Along with new users, we also regularly implement new functions and enhancements to the Bloomberg Terminal, so I tend to spend my afternoons calling some of our local clients to make sure they are aware of product updates relevant to their workflow. One of the new functions I've been letting clients know about is our FX Toolkit, which leverages Bloomberg's Excel programming language to pull FX forward curves and swaps. Once I understand the client's goals, I run through a few examples to show how the toolkit can help achieve them.

5.00 PM

As the end of the day approaches, I'll have my regular catch up with my mentors, team leaders or managers. It gives me a moment to reflect upon my work, what I've achieved and what I need to work on, as well as providing an opportunity to look towards my mid- and long-term career goals. It's can also share ideas that I might have about potential projects or scope out potential opportunities for me to assist the business further, and I feel supported with whatever I bring to the table.

6.00 PM

Before I log off, I make sure that I have followed up on everything I need to. If I am in the middle of an urgent client query, I'll ask my colleagues in Singapore — or even in London where they’re just starting their day — to take over. I'll say goodbye to my team and might swing by the pantry on the way out for a few snacks to take home with me.

7.00 PM

Before I head home, I'll have an activity planned to give me something to look forward to, like sport, gym, or catching up with friends. Tonight, I'm playing netball with some friends in a local comp. We haven't lost a game yet, so fingers crossed our winning streak holds up tonight!

8.30 PM

Following a nail-biting but successful game, I head home, cook myself up a quick dinner, and dive into the book on my bedside table or a TV show (at the moment it's Succession!).

10.30 PM

Time for bed! Have to get a good night's rest before another full day tomorrow.

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