Shen Chen, a Financial Adviser in Mercer’s Advice Team, shares some of her insights for a financially-savvy future.

There are many inspiring women in Aotearoa’s finance space - and it’s our pleasure to introduce some of them to you! We spoke to Shen Chen, one of these awesome wāhine, to see how she began in the industry and get some quick tips for anyone wanting to venture into the world of investments.

Shen launched her career as an accountant, which was a great entry point into the industry as it helped her understand the financial statements that sit behind investments.

It wasn’t long before Shen realised she wanted to work in client-centric roles, helping people grow their investments for the future. Because of this, moving into her role as a Financial Adviser at Mercer was a natural progression: she loves working with different people and the variety of experiences it offers. No two days are the same!

Shen’s advice to women looking to start a journey into financial wellness is - just start!

“Start anywhere, whether it be reading about financial products, watching a tutorial or podcast about investing, or having a chat with a financial adviser that can help you along your financial journey, whatever point you may be at.”

Shen acknowledges that the unknowns and jargon of the finance industry can sometimes be overwhelming for newbies, making people reluctant to start their financial journey. The awesome news is that there are financial advisers like Shen who are here to help!

As a woman in finance, Shen knows there can be barriers. Throughout her career, she’s seen more women starting out as finance graduates, which is encouraging. However, the glass ceiling is still present in the industry - and change needs to be made at the top. In this way, Mercer is setting an example for others to follow.

“I am proud to work for a company such as Mercer that puts a focus on encouraging equality in this area and constantly challenges itself to be better.”

Thanks Shen, for sharing your insights with The Table!

Fun fact about Shen: In her spare time, she likes to keep fit and spend time in the ocean spearfishing and surfing. She finds being in the ocean is a great reset and “salt water therapy”!

Shen’s quick tip for beginners looking to set up a healthier financial future: Educate yourself on the pros and cons of investing.

The above article is general information and does not purport to give financial advice. The Mercer KiwiSaver scheme and Mercer FlexiSaver are issued by Mercer (N.Z.) Limited. Product Disclosure Statements are available free of charge at seatatthetable.co.nz.