Norwegian Skiing Star Chloe Fausa Discusses the Importance of Balance Within Sport & Initiatives Needed to Promote Diversity in Finance

How did you begin skiing?

I started skiing at very young age, around the same time I started walking, and my passion grew as I began competing in Norway. After enrolling in an athlete focused high school, I gained the momentum and structure to focus on developing my skiing skills, enough so by the age of 15 I was a familiar face on the junior national team.

Where is your favourite place to ski? 

I have so many favourites, grew up skiing in Kvitfjell so those slopes hold a dear place in her heart. However, through her studies in the U.S, really enjoyed skiing at Snowbird, Utah, because of the elevation and level of powder they get, which makes for really fun runs.

Who has inspired you most in your sporting career?

My father. He  has always been there, through ups and downs, and provided constant support as skiing can often be a tough sport due to the individual nature of it, so having someone that you can turn to throughout is crucial.

What has been your greatest achievement to date, and what did you learn most from it? 

Probably winning the NCAA national championships in 2017, which was incredibly fun as we also won the team championship, and that winning as a team added an extra layer of gratification and excitement. 

What I learnt most about it is that getting to the top is in fact a very long road and often it can take a while of being close before that ultimate victory is obtained. Utah has been 2nd and 3rd in the country for many years, and it was very educational to see all the hard work and perseverance pay off that year. It goes to show that through determination and staying focused on your end goal anything is achievable.

How do you feel sport has shaped who you are today? What is the top characteristic you believe sport has given you?

I believe it has made a considerable impact on my life; sport has certainly shaped who I am today. It has enabled me to be very focused and driven, through adopting a strong set of structures from a very young age. I’ve also been able to travel a lot through sport, so my perspectives and development has been grounded in diversity.

What made you go to university in the U.S? 

With academics always being important to me, it’s always something I wanted to combine with my sport, and the U.S provides a great environment for that. So when I received a fantastic offer from the University of Utah, I jumped on the opportunity, I saw it as an unparalleled chance to get the best of both worlds.

What do you think the collegiate system in the U.S offers that perhaps other places in the world doesn’t? 

I think the liberal arts system they have in place is really productive as you can try a number of different subjects before deciding definitively on a major; this way when you do decide you’re confident that it is the right fit. Pair that with its unique combination of athletics and academics, and you have something that doesn’t really exist anywhere else in the world.

How did you hear about add-victor?

Steve, the founder, reached out and explained who add-victor are and how they can assist with my career opportunities. He suggested an off-cycle internship based on my timings and when I was competing until after I finished my masters and I felt as though it was a great fit for what I was interested in. And a few months later I was starting my internship!

What do you think are the main similarities between sport and finance? 

I believe there is a lot of similarities, one main one is that it is competitive, both environments are highly competitive and athletes often enjoy that. The finance industry is also a constantly evolving landscape and you have to remain adaptable, which is something that is also the case within sport, especially skiing, where handling shifts in circumstance is crucial to high-performance.

What did you learn most from your recent internship at a Global Bank? 

Having that exposure of how a bank operates and the finer tasks within the day-to-day mandate was completely new to me and incredibly enlightening. Also being able to network and acquire knowledge from individuals who have been in the financial sphere for some time was a great learning experience, it gave some real colour to what it is like to be in banking.

What advice would you give to future female athletes looking to start a career in finance? 

I understand that the industry is fairly male-dominated and this might deterred individuals, so I would just encourage those females that are interested in the subject and think that finance is for them to do learn more about the field and recognise that they are capable and appropriate for the profession. Especially women in sport, because sport develops particular traits that cross over into finance, such as drive, communication, discipline, teamwork.

How do you see the finance sector developing over the next 5 years?

I feel that there are going to be some significant shifts, especially with there being a lot more focus on technology within the industry, and the need for tech-literate individuals will grow considerably. Plus, with the interesting geo-political climate, such as Brexit, the markets will face an interesting road ahead, for sure.

What is something you’d like to see more of an initiative or focus on in the finance industry? 

I think diversity is a key one. The industry has traditionally struggled with limited diversity, and I believe the industry will benefit massively from having a workforce that comes from different backgrounds and holds different perspectives, especially with a focus on more women within the space. Perhaps an initiative that would increase education around the roles and skills needed for finance, deconstructing stereotypes and making the space more accessible to people.

What are you most looking forward to as you start your full-time position? 

Just really looking forward to the learning experience; being able to work alongside very bright and inspiring individuals, to be involved in the operations of a forerunning financial institution, and for it to be in London, one of the world’s most vibrant cities, is all really exciting for me.