The latest episode of FS Inside Track in the From Education to Finance (E2F) podcast offers a refreshing reminder that careers in financial services don’t need to be rigid, predetermined, or mapped out years in advance. Julia Tattersall’s journey - from a maths‑loving student to Investor Relations at Bridgepoint - is shaped not by a single defining decision, but by openness, exploration, and the willingness to follow what felt right at each stage.

Her story challenges a familiar misconception: that finance is only for people who set their sights on the sector early, or who follow a narrow, traditional route. Julia’s path shows something different. It shows that careers can evolve naturally, shaped by interests, experiences, and the confidence to pivot when you discover what truly resonates.

A First Glimpse Into Finance - And the Start of a Journey

Julia’s introduction to financial services came long before she imagined building a career in the sector. While she was still at school, her father - who worked in finance - helped her secure a short internship. It was just two weeks, but it opened a door.

She recalls how energising it felt to be in that environment, how quickly she absorbed the pace and rhythm of the work. “I really enjoyed my time there… I learned so much during those two weeks.” It wasn’t a moment of destiny, but it was a spark - one that made her curious enough to explore further.

When she reached university, she didn’t narrow her focus; she broadened it. She applied for spring weeks, internships, and opportunities that would let her test different parts of the industry. Macquarie became a formative stop: first a spring week, then a summer internship. Each experience gave her a clearer sense of what she enjoyed and where she could thrive.

Rather than locking herself into a path, she allowed each step to inform the next.

A Degree Shaped by Interest - Not Expectation

Julia’s academic choices reveal something important about her approach: she followed what she genuinely enjoyed. She loved maths. She was drawn to economics. And she had a strong interest in French. So she chose a degree that combined them - 50% economics, 50% French - a blend that provided both analytical depth and cultural breadth.

“I really like the mix that this gave me.”

The maths and economics helped her build the technical foundation she would later use in data‑driven roles. But the French gave her something equally valuable: communication skills, adaptability, and a wider perspective.

And crucially, she is clear that maths is not a barrier to entering financial services.

“I have friends that work in finance who have not studied maths… and yet they’re still able to do really well in their job.”

It’s a message young people need to hear. Finance is broad. It needs different minds, different strengths, different backgrounds. There is no single mould.

Learning the Industry Step by Step - From Trading to Investment Banking to Private Equity

Julia’s early career is a study in thoughtful progression. Each role taught her something new. Each role helped her refine what she enjoyed. And each role moved her closer to the part of finance that truly energised her.

Her first full‑time position was at Brown Brothers Harriman, working in securities lending - a trading environment that gave her a crash course in how markets function and how the corporate world operates.

“I learned a lot about finance in general and the corporate world and obviously about trading.”

After a year, she knew she wanted to stay in finance - but she also knew she wanted something different. She was drawn to the corporate side: understanding how companies grow, how they make strategic decisions, how they evolve.

That curiosity led her to UBS, where she spent two years in the investment banking division, working in the TMT team on mergers and acquisitions across tech, media, and telecoms. It was fast‑paced, demanding, and deeply educational.

It also clarified something important: she loved working with companies, but she wanted to be closer to their long‑term journey, not just the transaction.

“I realized that this is definitely the part of finance that I like the most, but I wanted to move more to the buy side.”

That realisation brought her to a role she genuinely enjoys.

“That’s when I moved to Bridgepoint where I am now, and I’m loving it.”

Her path wasn’t linear. It wasn’t pre‑planned. It evolved - and that evolution is exactly what makes it powerful.

A Message to Students: Keep Your Options Open

If there is one theme Julia returns to again and again, it is openness. She believes strongly that students should resist the pressure to decide too early, specialise too narrowly, or map out their entire career before they’ve even started.

“I think it’s so useful to apply to a range of different internships and spring weeks… and don’t limit yourself too early.”

She is right. You cannot know what you will enjoy until you try it. You cannot know your strengths until you’re in the role. And you cannot predict the opportunities that will emerge once you start.

“Realistically you have no idea what you’ll enjoy until you start the role.”

This mindset - flexible, grounded, open - is exactly what young people need in a sector that is evolving faster than ever.

Why Julia’s Story Matters

Julia’s journey is a powerful reminder that financial services is not a world reserved for people with rigid plans or perfect clarity. It is a place where exploration, openness, and gradual discovery can shape meaningful careers.

Her story shows that:

• early experiences can spark lifelong interests

• degrees don’t need to be narrowly vocational

• maths helps, but it is not a gatekeeper

• careers in finance can evolve naturally

• the sector needs people with diverse strengths

• you don’t need to know your destination to begin the journey

Most importantly, it shows that financial services is not a closed system. It is a broad, dynamic, human industry - one where young people can discover what they enjoy, follow it, and build a career that fits who they are.

Julia’s path embodies the purpose of E2F: to illuminate real stories, challenge outdated assumptions, and show that there is no single way into finance. There are many. And each one begins with openness.

To find out more about the E2F video podcast and get involved contact: oliharrison@financialmarketinginsights.com