Who We Actually Are
Back in 2019, Gareth and Nicola were working at different firms in Sydney's financial district. Both kept running into the same frustration: brilliant analysts struggling because they'd never learned to present their findings clearly. Numbers made sense. Communicating those numbers to stakeholders? That was another story entirely.
So they started quorentilva in early 2020. Not the best timing, admittedly. But it turned out remote education was about to become much more normal than anyone expected.
The Two People Who Started This
Gareth Prendergast
Spent twelve years analyzing market trends for institutional investors before co-founding quorentilva. His background is quantitative research, but he's always been more interested in how people interpret data than the data itself. Still maintains a small consulting practice working with funds in Melbourne and Singapore.
Nicola Forsyth
Worked in financial education development for eight years before quorentilva. She built training programs for three different investment banks and kept noticing the same gaps in how analysts were prepared for real-world work. Holds a background in both finance and adult education, which turns out to be a useful combination.
How We Got Here
Started With One Course
Launched our first program on financial modeling communication in March 2020. Had 23 students sign up, mostly from referrals. Spent most of that year figuring out what online education actually required versus what we'd assumed it would be.
Expanded Course Offerings
Added programs on portfolio analysis and risk assessment presentation. Worked with 140 students that year. Started getting feedback that people wanted more flexible scheduling, so we rebuilt everything to allow asynchronous learning with scheduled discussion sessions.
Built Mentorship Structure
Realized students needed ongoing guidance beyond course completion. Developed a mentorship matching system connecting learners with working professionals. Not a formal program, just facilitated introductions that often turned into valuable professional relationships.
Current Operations
Now running six different learning programs with around 400 active students. Added three part-time instructors who are still working in the industry. Focused mainly on helping mid-career analysts communicate complex financial concepts more effectively to non-technical stakeholders.
What We Actually Care About
Practical Application
Every concept we teach comes from actual work situations. We don't care about theoretical frameworks that sound impressive but don't help when you're presenting quarterly results to executives who just want clear answers.
Real Industry Connection
Our instructors still work in finance. They're teaching methods they actually use, not just what they remember from years ago. That means course content shifts as the industry changes, which happens more often than people realize.
Individual Progress
People learn financial communication at different speeds depending on their background. Some analysts are naturally good presenters who need help with technical depth. Others have the analysis down but struggle with stakeholder conversations. We adjust accordingly.
Want to Know More?
We're adding new courses throughout 2025 and planning major program updates for early 2026. If you're curious about what we're working on or want to discuss whether our approach might fit your professional development needs, just reach out.
Get In Touch