Humber Business Students Explore Investment Management Careers at AHF x Mackenzie Investments Networking Event
HLOs: 
On March 19, Longo Faculty of Business students were part of 44 participants at the AHF x Mackenzie Investments Networking Event in downtown Toronto. The event was hosted by Accelerate Her Future (AHF), a career accelerator committed to advancing Indigenous, Black, and racialized women pursuing careers in business and STEM.
The event featured insightful remarks from Andrea Hallett, VP Portfolio Manager, Multi-Asset Strategies, and Cora Chen, AVP Training and Development, who spoke about careers in investment management and sales at Mackenzie Investments.
A major highlight of the evening was an intimate and inspiring fireside chat with Lesley Marks, Chief Investment Officer at Mackenzie Investments, moderated by AHF founder Dr. Golnaz Golnaraghi. Lesley’s reflections on her career and leadership journey and the role of women in asset management were powerful and deeply resonant.
Participants had the opportunity to engage with Mackenzie Investments business leaders across a range of focus areas as well as connect with peers from eight postsecondary institutions across the GTA.
Two Bachelor of Commerce – Finance students shared their reflections on the event:
“The event was incredibly inspiring. Lesley Marks emphasized the value of curiosity and lifelong learning, while Cora Chen shed light on sales as a dynamic career path and the power of being outgoing. Andrea Hallet highlighted the importance of coding in the field of finance. What stood out the most was that nothing is set in stone—each speaker showed that careers evolve in unexpected ways. As a student, it was reassuring to hear that keeping an open mind and embracing new opportunities matters more than having it all figured out. Thank you to Director Golnaz Golnaraghi for hosting this empowering event and for giving us this opportunity to network with industry professionals.”
— Nikita Manat, Bachelor of Commerce – Finance
“Attending the event was an incredible opportunity to connect with industry professionals and like-minded peers. The insightful discussions on career growth, leadership, and diversity in finance provided valuable takeaways. Engaging with Mackenzie Investments representatives deepened my understanding of the financial industry and opened doors to meaningful conversations about future opportunities. The event fostered an inspiring and supportive atmosphere, reinforcing the importance of networking and continuous learning.”
— Saachi Kapoor, Bachelor of Commerce – Finance
We look forward to continuing our collaboration with AHF and creating more opportunities like this for Humber students in the future!
