At Leadenhall, we take pride in prioritising the development and recognition of our people, our most valuable assets.
Our latest internal promotions
We’re pleased to share two of our most recent internal promotions, Bruce Li and Risha Pursem. Read on to learn more about their career journeys so far, why Leadenhall, advice they’d give someone considering a career in business valuation and what’s next for them.
Meet Bruce Li
Bruce has been with Leadenhall since 2017, when he joined as an Analyst. We’re pleased to announce that Bruce has recently been appointed to the role of Associate Director. Learn what Bruce has to say about his career so far below.
About Bruce’s career thus far
I’ve always wanted to be in valuations/corporate finance since my time in Uni as I had the impression I could put the skills to good use for stock-picking (but since joining and learning more about valuation, I’ve realised valuation is a mix of science and art with some degree of subjectivity and professional scepticism involved and the market is not always rational!).
I have a double major in Accounting and Corporate Finance from the University of Adelaide (coincidentally Adelaide was the birthplace of Leadenhall) and joined a couple of ‘Big Four’ accounting firms since graduation.
Why did you choose business valuation and Leadenhall?
After several years in audit (4.5 years to be exact), I questioned myself whether or not auditing was the ‘right’ career to pursue in the long-term. Then came Leadenhall’s job posting on LinkedIn (which is still saved on my LinkedIn) reminding me of my long-time interest in valuations.
In addition, Leadenhall’s profile as a small company with a flat organisational structure and exposure to top ASX listed companies attracted me as I wanted to learn and craft my skills directly from the well-esteemed team of directors (in Star Wars terms, it is akin to a Padawan training directly under the Jedi Master). Although Leadenhall was ideally looking for someone with one to two years of business valuation experience, I decided to have a go and ‘try my luck’. I was interviewed by Richard and Dave (the Jedi Masters) and fortunate enough, I was offered the role of an Analyst.
February 2021 marks the start of my fifth year with Leadenhall having progressed from the bottom of the ruck to becoming an Associate Director. I am also highly grateful for Leadenhall in sponsoring my Master of Applied Finance degree with the highly acclaimed Macquarie Business School, especially during a time of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is still a lot for me to learn from the directors (Simon, Gary, Richard, Dave, Andrew and Nathan) as well as from my co-workers (Katy, Fung, Hamed, Risha, Vicky and Alex) who come from diverse backgrounds each equipped with skills/strengths that I do not currently have.
What would you say to someone considering a career in business valuation?
Coming from a background with no practical valuation experience, I would forewarn that a career in business valuation has a steep learning curve and entails a lot of ‘active thinking’ and logical skills since no two valuation engagements are the same.
That said, for someone new to business valuation, it is more important to be equipped with a good and positive attitude (and willingness to learn) than technical qualities. The ability to write well is also important as valuation is about portraying the story behind the quantitative figures.
What do you like to do outside of work?
In my newfound free time (which I haven’t had much before I completed my studies), I have resumed playing sports (football and badminton) and managed to pick up tennis as a new sport (my coach says I have a solid backhand and my forehand is getting stronger which are all encouraging signs for partaking in next year’s Australian Open – for juniors!)
I also like to collect (and drink) whisky and enjoy exploring places for good food. I am eagerly looking forward to travelling when the world gets back to being ‘normal’!
Meet Risha Pursem
Risha joined Leadenhall in 2018 as a Senior Analyst and has recently been promoted to the role of Manager.
Why did you choose a career with Leadenhall?
Leadenhall’s reputation as a leading boutique valuation practice is what initially led me to choose a career at Leadenhall. Having previously worked in the valuations industry I was aware of the high-quality work delivered by the team.
Leadenhall offers a great workplace culture with a collaborative and highly supportive environment. Another great advantage of working at Leadenhall is the opportunity to learn from highly knowledgeable directors and managers, who invest their time in mentoring junior members of the team.
What did you do prior to joining Leadenhall?
I moved to Australia from Mauritius to study at the Australian National University in Canberra and moved to Sydney a couple of years later to study a Master of Finance at UNSW.
My first job as a graduate was in business valuations and I subsequently worked at an intellectual property firm, where I specialised in valuation of early-stage technologies and associated intellectual property before joining Leadenhall in late 2018.
What would you say to someone considering a career in business valuation?
It is a highly rewarding career which gives insight into a wide range of businesses across different industries.
In my career thus far, there hasn’t been an instance where any two engagements are the same. Valuation requires critical thinking and also strong communication and interpersonal skills.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love spending time with my 15-month-old daughter and my husband. I’m also passionate about health and fitness, and love starting my day with circuit style training.
Are you interested in a career in business valuation?
Check out our careers page for more information or to apply.
