Kinan Almallah is a third-year Bachelor of Commerce Co-op student at Dalhousie, majoring in Finance. Originally from Syria, he moved to Halifax in 2019 to complete high school and has since made it his home. He chose Dalhousie for its strong co-op program, which provides hands-on experience and valuable industry connections. His passion for finance, especially capital markets and investment management, comes from his interest in analyzing markets and making data-driven decisions.

During his co-op journey so far, Kinan has gained experience at two financial institutions. At Nova Scotia Pension Services Corporation, he worked as an Investment Associate, rotating through different teams. “I got to see how investment decisions are made and learned a lot about portfolio management.” One key skill he developed was using Power BI for data analysis, which helped him improve his technical and decision-making abilities.

At MUFG Investor Services, he worked as a Junior Associate in Client Operations, tracking fund trades and reconciling financial statements. “I didn’t know much about fund administration before, but this experience showed me how important it is in finance.” This role helped him develop attention to detail and accuracy in financial reporting, which he sees as essential for a future in investment management.

Kinan has recently received recognition for his hard work by being named one of the 2025 Mackay Rising Finance Scholars. Named for Commerce alum Doug Mackay, this award was created by Dr. Greg Hebb to recognize students who achieve the highest combined grade in COMM 2202 Finance I and COMM 2203 Finance II. “It was great to see my efforts pay off and it motivated me to keep pushing forward.” He was also nominated for the 2024 Co-op Student of the Year for the Faculty of Management, which he sees as a reflection of the great mentors and colleagues who have supported him. “It felt rewarding to know that my contributions were appreciated.”

Recently, Kinan was part of Dalhousie’s winning team in the CFA Research Challenge for the Atlantic Canada Region, where they presented an equity research report. “It was a great learning experience, and I highly recommend it to finance students.”

Balancing job searching with academics can be challenging, but Kinan stays organized by setting aside specific time for applications and networking. “It’s all about staying proactive and managing your time well.” For students struggling to secure co-ops, he encourages persistence. “Many of my interviews happened closer to the start date, so don’t get discouraged.” He also stresses the importance of networking and continuously improving skills through online courses and extracurricular activities.

For his final co-op, Kinan hopes to work in investment management, private equity, or capital markets. “I’m looking for a place where I can keep learning and contribute in a meaningful way.”