Q&A: Sparking Change with Matt Ellis, a BCI Community Champion

Introducing Matt Ellis, CFA , Associate, Investment Strategy & Risk at BCI . His passion for finance doesn’t just apply to his work, it’s a big part of how he gives back to his community. He actively volunteers to build financial literacy skills with youth through JA British Columbia (JABC), tutor aspiring Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) candidates, and work with post-secondary students to explore possibilities in finance with the CFA Society Vancouver University Outreach Committee.

Matt is also part of BCI’s employee-led Financial Literacy Committee, which champions volunteerism and opportunities to address systemic gaps in financial education. Thanks to this committee, BCI has become the largest corporate source of volunteers for JABC.

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Q: Why do you focus on finance in your volunteer work?

A: While finance can have a reputation for being boring, I’m genuinely enthusiastic for this industry and believe it is a place where many diverse skillsets come together to contribute to interesting and impactful work. For most young people, finance seems nebulous and is immediately associated with trading stocks or numbers-focused work. They often aren’t exposed to what this career entails until their later years or university.

Personally, I took one high-level economics class in high school, but only discovered finance as a career path because I was lucky enough to have a family member working in the field. From speaking to my peers, this seems to be common. Many people pursue finance because someone close to them makes the career path tangible and relatable, as opposed to becoming interested through exposure in high school or other formal education. This makes me wonder, how many people who could excel in this field never even get started because they don’t know what a career in finance could actually look like?

My goal in volunteering is to expose a wider talent pool to the possibilities of a career in finance, provide inspiration for just how diverse the roles can be, and break the notion that you need to be a math whiz to succeed.

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Q: How are you sparking change in our community?

A: I volunteer across all levels of education, from elementary students with JABC to university students with the University Outreach Committee and even post-grad professionals attempting the CFA exams. My favorite audience is the younger group whose understanding of finance is informed through movies and media. I love demystifying the field and sparking their interest in considering finance as a potential career.

I often hear students say, “I’m not good with numbers so I don’t think this is the career for me.” Honestly, most of us don’t deal with complex math on a regular basis. If you can add, subtract, divide, and multiply, you’re good to go. People overlook that finance is largely a relationship business, whether you’re a financial planning and analysis professional, equity analyst, or investment banker - all jobs that I’ve done!

While it's challenging to measure the tangible impact of my efforts, I find the most satisfaction when I see two or three students genuinely engaged and curious about what I'm sharing. These moments are priceless. If I can introduce finance as a concrete, viable career path and inspire even just a few people to pursue a field they hadn't considered before, I believe that’s a fantastic success.

Q: What advice do you have for those looking to get involved in their communities??

A: I am lucky to be wired in such a way that finance naturally connects with what I’m passionate about, making everything else a breeze. My advice to anyone looking to get involved in their community would be to try to connect your passions to where you want to make an impact. It makes everything simpler – easier to connect and engage, easier to come up with creative ways to get people involved, and easier to make an impact.

If you’re interested in getting into the classroom, check out opportunities with JABC at jabc.ca/volunteer!