Q&A with Millie Tobin, Trader

What first drew you to trading, and how did you find your way into the world of digital assets?

I have long had an affinity for patterns and problems, which led me naturally to study mathematics, but early in my Northern upbringing, the realm of trading and finance had a nearly mythological allure, maybe since it was so out of touch with my present environment, and felt out of reach. Being an ‘Investment Banker’ was regularly a spoken aspiration for many working-class Northern schoolchildren.  This was really a vague approximation to any finance related role that had been glamorised in films and was labelled so, devoid of any industry knowledge, attributable to the insular nature of Northern state-schooling. In reaching university age and starting to better understand my own abilities, interests and the world, being a trader made more sense. I began to form an interest in the digital asset space at this point, initially intrigued by the work of John Nash, leading me then on to Bitcoin, pondering self-sovereignty and becoming aware of the substantial threat that decentralised money posed to traditional banking infrastructure and society as we knew it.  I chose to specialise in Maths further at MSc level, studying Quantitative Finance, and then went about finding a job. Incidentally, I found the role at BCB by pure fate, inviting myself to a friend of a friend’s birthday dinner (Kate Stuart – Treasury Director) on a July Friday, who told me about her work and vowed to keep an eye on openings on the OTC desk for me. She called me up the following January to let me know she had put me forward for an interview and I’ve been a trader here ever since.

Trading is traditionally a male dominated space, what’s your experience been like as a woman in this environment?

Luckily for me, I work in a progressive and meritocratic environment at BCB. My insight is valued and I am constantly encouraged to reach new heights, with no perceived upper limit. Admittedly, most of my trading counterparts in the industry are male but I don’t feel like an outsider in any circle, quite the opposite.

What advice would you give to other women (or anyone!) wanting to build a career in trading?

You should be resilient and have a preparedness to handle failure and rejection – trading is competitive to get into in the first place and hard work thereafter. Make sure that your decisions are backed by logic and analysis, not whim. Be adaptable and expect your environment and tools to evolve as you work. It is an exciting and very dynamic career, which, if troubled by the prospect of being desk-bound, pricing insurance premiums on repeat, may suit one’s desire for adrenaline in the workplace. Trading in crypto will also introduce you to a diverse network of people that are hugely interesting and intelligent, whose company will only expand your knowledge and likely lead to lasting friendships!