Macquarie Executive Sees AI Fast-Tracking Junior Analyst Careers

Junior research staff at Macquarie Capital need not fret too much about AI taking their jobs, according to an executive at the Australian firm.

Rather, artificial intelligence tools may help entry-level analysts accelerate their learning curve and shorten the time needed to progress to senior roles, said Christina Lee, who heads research and sales in Asia at the advisory and investing arm of Macquarie Group Ltd.

“Experience and judgment will remain critical, but those who adapt quickly and use the technology effectively should be well positioned to progress faster,” Lee said in an interview. The roughly five years it currently takes on average for an associate to advance to a senior analyst position could be shortened with the help of AI, she said.

The rise of AI has sparked a debate across the finance industry over whether automating grunt work traditionally performed by younger employees will eliminate jobs or deprive them of training that has long been critical to career development. Global banks including Barclays Plc and HSBC Holdings Plc are turning to AI to reduce support roles.

Lee said AI can free up junior analysts to take on greater responsibilities earlier by taking over routine work. Some associates are already writing full research reports as soon as a year after joining, compared with the three to four years it typically took them in the past, she added. Some are starting to initiate coverage of large-cap stocks.

Lee doesn’t expect the technology to meaningfully cut headcount in her research team. Intricate thematic or cross-border analysis remains difficult for AI to replicate, she said.

“When AI first came about, the consensus was that the value of senior analysts is going to go up, and then the juniors might not find the utility and the opportunities,” said Lee, who is a senior managing director. But as they find ways to use AI to optimize workflows, “this can actually be a great opportunity for really smart and ambitious juniors,” she said.

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