EA PROFILE
“ Fifteen years ago , I couldn ’ t imagine a world where work / life balance was something CEOs strived for and EAs could ask for .”
Claire Muir talks to Sydney-based Bri Matkovich , an EA at 1835i , about being a career EA , finding your superpower and what she wishes her high school teacher had told her
How did you become an assistant ? I ’ ve been an Executive Assistant for the best part of 15 years which is my entire professional career , if you don ’ t count the most fun stint working at the cinema as a 16-year-old ! I started off as a receptionist , knowing only that I wanted a break before studying again and the ‘ glamorous ’ life of working in a corporate office . I slowly started to realise that certain personality traits and skills of mine were transferable to the executive support world . My annoying tendency to organise people is a job !
Tell us about your current role . My role is mixed . Like all EAs , there is the traditional element when supporting executives but overall , it ’ s heavy on the project management side of things . Being part of a venture capital business that also has what we call the ‘ lab ’ is exciting and maybe not something all EA ’ s experience . We are some of the first people to see and test financial technology developed by great start-ups and if we aren ’ t testing something that already exists , we ’ re building it ourselves . This year , I get the opportunity to project manage those technology builds and I ’ m excited to see what comes to life and is ultimately integrated back into the bank to improve the customer experience .
What were you doing before you were at 1835i ? I worked at RiseSmart – they were experts in career transition , career development and change management . It was this role that led me to choose being a career EA . I supported some of the most amazing and inspirational senior executives as their direct EA but I also supported the design and delivery of the executive career transition program . This meant I was having regular and quite vulnerable conversations and meetings with c-suite executives who had been made redundant from corporate or board roles . Learning how to converse in this way with some of the most senior execs across APAC , and helping them navigate the change , gave me a deeper appreciation and understanding for the value an EA can add . It also gave me the confidence needed to network at all levels .
What motivates you ? In this position , we have a unique opportunity to lead growth and innovation . My motivation comes from the opportunity to continuously learn while contributing to the success of executives and organisations . Staying ahead of the game and surrounding myself with the best humans on the planet ( EAs ) is also a huge driving force .
What tech helps you do your job ? At 1835i , we use Google and I love it – I ’ m forever researching extensions to boost productivity . An oldie but a goodie is Boomerang , which helps you achieve inbox zero without forgetting to follow up on tasks that were sent via email . We live in Slack so it ’ s downloaded onto every smart device I own and I ’ m currently using and loving ClickUp .
Work / life balance … How does that look for you ? I find work / life balance is a lot easier to achieve in a post-pandemic world . 1835i is a very flexible employer
50 Executive PA | Winter Issue 2023