Niall Kirwan moved to Melbourne for a change in lifestyle and to see the sun! Having previously worked in various fund accounting roles, he was familiar with Northern Trust and our core business operations and had heard good things. He soon after landed a job at Northern Trust and started out in our fund accounting team before moving into Investment Operations Outsourcing.

 

Describe your role at Northern Trust

I recently became Head of Investment Operations Outsourcing (IOO) for Northern Trust Australia. At a very high level, IOO manage the trade lifecycle on behalf of our clients and maintain their Investment book.

 

Describe your team

Our team is based between Melbourne and Sydney, and we work very closely with our partners in Bangalore, Pune and Manila. We have a strong team with a variety of backgrounds and experience.

This ensures there’s a broad knowledge base to help tackle any challenges we see. All of this culminates in a genuinely exciting and inclusive culture.

 

What brought you to Northern Trust and briefly describe your career path?

I moved to Melbourne from Europe for a change in lifestyle and to see the sun. Soon after, I was fortunate enough to land a job at Northern Trust.

Having previously worked in various fund accounting roles for JP Morgan in Luxembourg and Dublin, I was familiar with Northern Trust and their core business operations and had heard good things.

I started out in fund accounting here in Melbourne for a year and a half before moving into IOO Client Servicing. I saw the role as a great opportunity to learn about all the services we provided to the client and found that I loved the client facing aspect of the role as well.

This progressed to managing the IOO Client Services group as we grew in size and number of clients, and then transitioned to my current role earlier this year.

I am focused on my new role for the time being so not thinking about next steps of career progression just now.

 

What do you like best about working at Northern Trust?

The people and the culture. Despite the exponential growth here in Australia over the last number of years and the increased work from home, Northern Trust has still managed to maintain the culture.

It allows us to attract top talent as well as retain our staff.

 

For all the latest opportunities at Northern Trust Australia go here

 

How has Northern Trust supported your career objectives / development?

Due to the support structures and focus on development, I’ve had a few roles in the last 7 years at Northern Trust and it has been a great place for my growth and career development/aspirations.

In particular, I think Northern Trust’s willingness to support internal movement across the organization allows partners to carve their own career path while helping to retain staff. If you are willing to push yourself, there are opportunities here.

How do you create a balance between work and home?

To be honest, I prefer to work in the office so I can have that separation between the two. Myself and some of the partners here have taken up running around ‘the Tan’ at lunch time which is a great way of getting away from the desk and getting some fresh air.

I like the people engagement that comes with working in the office and the opportunities to sample a pint with colleagues from time to time. Outside of work I have been travelling a bit the last few years and enjoy my sports, have even taken a liking to Australian Football League (AFL) at this stage.

Obviously, family is back home so keep in touch regularly and try and get back home when I can, especially to see my nieces who are growing up so fast.

 

What advice would you give to partners beginning their career at Northern Trust?

Learn more about what people are doing outside of your team and the impact your role has to the broader business.

For me, having a good work ethic and being a critical thinker will really set you on your way.

 

Fast Facts

Name - Niall Kirwan

Role - Head of IOO Australia

Business Unit - GFS Australia IOO

Geographic Location - Australia

Career Level - Vice President

Education - B.Sc. Business and Management

Hometown / where are you living now – Born in Dublin / Living in Melbourne

Do you have a pet(s)? A cat - Beans

What are you reading / podcast recommendation - The Rest is History podcast

Favorite sports team - Manchester United

Comfort food - Cereal

Best advice you’ve received (work or non-work related) - It’ll be grand

 

 

Careers at Northern Trust

Come find your greater at Northern Trust. Review our open roles here.