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Advance your career and give your time to help anotherÂ
Explore the Viking Careers page to discover extensive resources for professional and mentoring opportunities. Whether you're navigating a career transition, seeking to share your expertise, or wanting advice from those in your desired industry, our platform connects Churchie Old Boys across generations to share knowledge and engage with one another.
Partner
Investment Specialist
Brendan is an investment specialist and legal advisor supporting the implementation of economic growth projects funded by multilateral development banks and international financial institutions in developing and post-conflict countries globally. He specialises in climate finance and blended finance for 'green' investment and ecosystem conservation projects, as well as business enabling environment and governance reform programs. His client exposure extends to USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Partner
Investment Specialist
Why did you volunteer to be a mentor?
International development is not a well-known industry in Australia, and it was hard for me to find my way into this field. It was not until after working in Washington D.C. that I realised that this was always what I wanted to do and there is an enormous amount of extremely rewarding professional opportunities in this space. I am interested to help any Churchie boys find this pathway faster than I did.
Partner
Investment Specialist
How would you have benefited from this experience if you had the opportunity to be a mentee early in your career?
I would have streamlined my university studies from 4 degrees to 1 and been much more deliberate in where and with which organisations I sought job opportunities.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What is your proudest professional or Churchie achievement?
I am lucky to have lived and worked in 29 countries doing work that I find meaningful and impactful. Churchie OBA granted me a scholarship to study at the London School of Economics and that was in many ways a catalyst to my career.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What inspires or motivates you?
Environmental conservation.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What is the most important thing you learned from a mentor?
Too many things to count.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting in your industry?
Capitalise on every opportunity you have to build a specialisation in an area that is important to you.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What do hope to gain from this experience?
Provide the guidance I wish I had on how to find a career in international development.
Partner
Investment Specialist
Brendan is an investment specialist and legal advisor supporting the implementation of economic growth projects funded by multilateral development banks and international financial institutions in developing and post-conflict countries globally. He specialises in climate finance and blended finance for 'green' investment and ecosystem conservation projects, as well as business enabling environment and governance reform programs. His client exposure extends to USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Partner
Investment Specialist
Why did you volunteer to be a mentor?
International development is not a well-known industry in Australia, and it was hard for me to find my way into this field. It was not until after working in Washington D.C. that I realised that this was always what I wanted to do and there is an enormous amount of extremely rewarding professional opportunities in this space. I am interested to help any Churchie boys find this pathway faster than I did.
Partner
Investment Specialist
How would you have benefited from this experience if you had the opportunity to be a mentee early in your career?
I would have streamlined my university studies from 4 degrees to 1 and been much more deliberate in where and with which organisations I sought job opportunities.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What is your proudest professional or Churchie achievement?
I am lucky to have lived and worked in 29 countries doing work that I find meaningful and impactful. Churchie OBA granted me a scholarship to study at the London School of Economics and that was in many ways a catalyst to my career.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What inspires or motivates you?
Environmental conservation.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What is the most important thing you learned from a mentor?
Too many things to count.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting in your industry?
Capitalise on every opportunity you have to build a specialisation in an area that is important to you.
Partner
Investment Specialist
What do hope to gain from this experience?
Provide the guidance I wish I had on how to find a career in international development.
Find a mentor and tap into the expertise of our global community of Old Boys' professionals across all industries, from subject matter experts to senior leaders. Our mentors want to help and are ready to make a difference to your future.
To view our Code of Conduct on Mentoring, please click here.
To Register as a Mentor, please scroll down to the Volunteer to be a Mentor panel.