Zoe Oosten

For Zoe Oosten (Dutch, Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Pikiao), studying marketing at the University of Waikato was the ideal way to use both sides of her brain.

“It strikes the right balance between logic and imagination — it's the perfect mix of creativity, analysis, and strategy,” she explains.

Now working in Auckland as a marketer at ANZ Bank, Zoe says her Bachelor of Business degree opened doors to a dynamic career where no two days are the same.

At high school, she enjoyed economics, business studies, and creative subjects like art and fabrics. Zoe chose to study marketing at Waikato because she’d heard it had a great business school.

Her business degree was broad in scope and prepared her well for the workforce, she says. “Having a diverse knowledge base to lean on – with papers covering everything from strategic management to supply chain – gave me the confidence to understand how a business operates holistically.”

She enjoyed the practical aspects of her degree, including a capstone paper where students acted as consultants for real companies facing real business challenges. “We had to use all the knowledge we’d gained over the course of our degree to develop insightful and impactful recommendations for these businesses," says Zoe.

“Many of my marketing papers gave me opportunities to practise skills I use regularly in my role now – such as research, analysis, brief writing, and developing integrated marketing communications.”

She was also awarded a $2,500 Spark Business Prize for her action learning assignment being judged second overall in the marketing paper MRKTG301 Modern Professional Selling.

During her studies, Zoe landed a marketing internship at tech start-up Shift72, which creates on-demand streaming platforms for customers, such as film festivals. “I jumped straight in the deep end and was given a lot of freedom and trust, which taught me that I enjoy variety in my day and working towards a finished product.”

Zoe also took double minors for her degree in project management and human resource management, gaining valuable skills in planning, adapting to setbacks and change, and collaborating with stakeholders.

After graduating, Zoe joined Bunzl’s 12-month graduate programme, rotating through several roles in operations, marketing, data and analytics. “I developed a wide range of skills in areas I’d never have explored if it wasn't for being part of a graduate programme.”

Zoe's passion for consumer marketing then led her to apply for the ANZ Marketing Graduate Programme, an 18-month experience with six-month rotations. Her first placement in Brand and Advertising saw her manage a national campaign from start to finish, creating content for web, print, and digital channels.

Today, Zoe designs customer communication journeys for ANZ’s home loans and insurance team.

“What I love most about my job is the autonomy, flexibility and variety,” she says. “Each day looks different, and I’m given the creative freedom to think strategically and execute my ideas how I believe will work best.”