Business in Vancouver’s latest Forty under 40 share advice for current business students

Persis Ahrestani  (UBC DAP ’07)

Vice-President and CFO
Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver

What has been a highlight about your current role or career path to date?

“One particularly memorable career highlight is receiving a standing ovation from my advanced financial accounting class at UBC. The unexpected appreciation from a room full of tired students on a late Friday night was not only personally fulfilling, but highlighted the positive impact a teacher can make.”

What were your top takeaways from your time at UBC Sauder that you were able to apply to your professional career, and how did they help you?

“UBC offered me a chance to dive into a diverse range of courses, that not only expanded my knowledge but also honed my critical thinking. Engaging in countless case studies and group projects taught me the importance of collaboration, relationship-building, and regular communication with supervisors and peers. These connections have significantly enriched my professional network and led to collaborations in my CFO role. I've even made some lifelong friendships. UBC's supportive environment and opportunities for challenging myself have instilled the confidence to tackle any problem with innovation, patience, and open-mindedness. Thanks to UBC, I've learned that every challenge has a solution, you just have to find it.”

What advice would you share with prospective UBC Sauder students about using business education to achieve your goals?

“Since I started my undergraduate degree over 20 years ago at UBC, I have never really left. I stress the profound value in the holistic UBC experience. Embrace the nuanced diversity of being a business student, focus not only on skill development and knowledge acquisition but also on the intangible connections within the community. In the ever-evolving business world, the intangible benefits of your UBC connections will serve as a crucial asset, offering support and guidance as you navigate the dynamic environment.”
 

Erica McGuinness (UBC BCom ’08)

Partner
Sequeira Partners

What has been a highlight about your current role or career path to date? 

“This is a tough one! I can think of many highlights tied to individual transaction successes but what I am most proud of is how we have grown Sequeira in Western Canada. I joined as employee number one in BC and employee number four overall. We now have over 25 individuals across three offices and two practice areas.”

What were your top takeaways from your time at UBC Sauder that you were able to apply to your professional career? 

“I played varsity basketball while completing my Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree and the lessons I took away from each were closely tied.

Time management–I often found that the busier I was, the better I did at school and on the court, as I had to be so efficient and focused. At times it was quite hard, but I figured out a way to make it work and that skill has stayed with me.

The power of community–The network I made during my time at UBC Sauder helped me land my first job out of university and a number of my classmates became good friends. I was able to lean on these individuals as we transitioned from student life to our respective careers, which was very valuable during that time of my life.

Lean into your strengths–Although I had intended to major in marketing or organizational behaviour, I excelled in accounting, finance and economics. My courses helped me learn to lean into where I was academically stronger and I ended up really enjoying that path.”

What advice would you share with prospective UBC Sauder students about using business education to achieve your goals? 

“You do not have to know with certainty what you want to be. A business degree does a great job of creating options and I think that is so important as you begin to explore career goals. Looking back, I would never have been able to anticipate how my career path and choices would lead to where I am today but the BCom degree gave me the skill set needed to explore and figure it out.”

Matthew Murray (UBC BCom ’06)

Senior Vice-President and Corporate Controller
TELUS

What has been a highlight about your current role or career path to date? 

“I’ve had the opportunity to support a variety of teams and incredible team members across our Finance team which has kept me on a constant learning curve since I joined the organization as a new grad. TELUS has gone through significant changes compared to the pure telecom provider I joined in 2006, building a TV business, investing in Health, earning the right to take our TELUS International business public, rapidly scaling up our Security & Automation business, and building our Agriculture & Consumer Goods business, among many other ventures.  Having a role where I’ve been able to be exposed to the entire breadth of the business has been a key highlight that has kept me on my toes and excited for what comes next.”

What were your top takeaways from your time at UBC Sauder that you were able to apply to your professional career?

“I took a lot from Jeff Kroeker’s management accounting and performance management classes, emphasizing that what’s in the past is a ‘sunk cost’, and we need to focus our efforts on what the best economic options are for our next steps from where we are today. I also enjoyed my fourth-year classes which really brought the individual disciplines together, as it underscored my interest in general business leadership as opposed to becoming an expert in any particular specialty. Lastly, having the opportunity to be part of the inaugural JDC West organizing committee taught me the value of extra-curricular opportunities and the learning that occurs outside the classroom, which is something we look for when recruiting talent into the organization.”

What advice would you share with prospective UBC Sauder students about using business education to achieve your goals?

“We often say at TELUS that doing good in business and doing good in our communities are mutually inclusive. As a member of any organization, it is incredibly important to understand the business, including what the company's goals are, how you generate value for your customers and your community, and how profit is utilized to invest and achieve goals. Ultimately, the company must make decisions that realize the purpose that your organization aspires to. A comprehensive business education can put you at the center of these decisions and help you to better understand how they are made so you can ensure the organization is delivering for all stakeholders, while understanding how the organization’s direction aligns with your personal goals as an individual and leader.”