Pink-haired banker, 32, grew up in housing commission after her family emigrated from Indonesia and now manages wealth for Aussie Atlassian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes – and reveals her tips for how women can make it in finance
- Armina Rosenberg manages millions of dollars for Mike Cannon-Brookes
- She has been the global equities portfolio manager at Grok Ventures since 2017
- The 32-year-old grew up in a housing commission in Sydney’s western suburbs
A 32-year-old woman who helps manage hundreds of millions of dollars for Australian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes grew up in a housing commission.
Armina ‘Arms’ Rosenberg, who has pink hair and enjoys pole dancing fitness classes, has been the global equities portfolio manager at Grok Ventures since 2017.
Ms Rosenberg grew up in a Wentworthville housing commission, in Sydney’s western suburbs, after her mother emigrated to Australia from Indonesia.
‘We lived across the road from a drug dealer, there were junkies all up and down our road, domestic violence was ride, so a challenging environment and I don’t like to dwell on that too much,’ Ms Rosenberg told the Australian Financial Review.
Armina ‘Arms’ Rosenberg has been the global equities portfolio manager at Grok Ventures since 2017
Cannon-Brookes, the six-richest Australian who founded Atlassian, lured Ms Rosenberg to Grok Ventures, where she helps him diversify his wealth
The 32-year-old said her she knew her family was not well off when she was young and she used her intellect as a form of ‘currency’.
Growing up, Ms Rosenberg said she created budgeting spreadsheets and treated it ‘like a computer game’.
She went to Sydney Girls High School, which is selective, before studying commerce at UNSW.
‘Back then I would say getting into investment banking was more about who you know rather than what you know and obviously with my background, I didn’t know anybody so it was great to be able to get my foot in the door,’ Ms Rosenberg said.
Cannon-Brookes, the six-richest Australian who founded Atlassian, lured Ms Rosenberg to Grok Ventures, where she helps him diversify his wealth.
On her Instagram, Ms Rosenberg identifies herself as a ‘Women’s Equality Advocate, Mother of Dragon, Climate Change Activist, Pole Dancer and Distance Runner’
‘She’s a perfect example of the type of person the investment sector so badly needs more of,’ he told the publication.
Ms Rosenberg said the finance sector was still a ‘boys club’ but is hopeful that it’s changing.
She believes negative predispositions and comments towards women could be solved if there were more women in the room.
Ms Rosenberg encourages women to find positive female role models to navigate the finance sector.
She also urges women to be confident and put themselves out there.
The 32-year-old said she was ‘living proof’ that gender and background could be challenging factors but would not be limiting factors.
Ms Rosenberg’s Instagram description says: ‘Portfolio Manager, Women’s Equality Advocate.Mother of Dragon. Climate Change Activist. Pole Dancer. Distance Runner.’
Ms Rosenberg said the finance sector was still a ‘boys club’ but is hopeful that it’s changing. She believes negative predispositions and comments towards women could be solved if there were more women in the room