Ben studied economics and psychology at the University of Queensland before beginning his professional career as an economist at the Federal Treasury. Drawn to the fast-paced complexity of financial markets and inspired by VivCourt’s unique charitable mission, he joined the firm as a Graduate in 2023 and now works as a Cash Equities Quantitative Trader. In 2025, he seized the opportunity to work in VivCourt’s Amsterdam office, which he reflects on in the blog post below.
Moving to Amsterdam
Several factors inspired the move. Professionally, it was an opportunity to trade new markets, learn from different traders and expand my toolkit. Personally, the chance to step outside my comfort zone – immersing myself in a new culture, building fresh routines, and connecting with new people.
The biggest shift has been moving from a more hands-on, live trading role in Sydney to one that’s more research-focused. It has been useful to apply the intuition I built through live trading to inform how I build predictive models and ultimately conduct my research.
I’m also now working more across regions – collaborating with both the European desk and the Australian team to explore strategy overlap and identify more fundamental ideas that translate across markets.
The Hurdles, the Highs, and Everything In Between
The logistics of relocating – navigating visas, packing up in Sydney, and finding a new place to live – was the biggest challenge. But with VivCourt’s support throughout, the rewards have made it more than worth it.
The culture in the Amsterdam office is quite similar in spirit – collaborative, curious, and focused. Professionally, being in a time zone where major geopolitical developments like tariffs or the Ukraine war unfold during trading hours has been fascinating. It’s added a real-time dimension to market reactions that have been both engaging and educational.
Personally, the travel has been incredible – weekends in Paris, Ireland, a trip to Iceland with mind-blowing scenery (and I’m only a few months in). As a lifestyle, it’s brilliant – getting around by bike is effortless, and the office itself is beautifully set on a canal with a great gym I’ve been making good use of (yes…slightly less than I’d like to).
Biking to work has been a fun adjustment… you don’t forget how, but let’s just say it’s a bit humbling after years off the saddle in Australia!
