Katie Baglole and Jamie McGuigan make a concerted effort not to mix business with pleasure.
When the pair first met in their final year of studies at UPEI in a finance group, they became intent on starting the process of merging - with discretion - both personal and professional portfolios.
"We just realized that we really worked well together and had the same kind of goals,'' said McGuigan, 24, a native of Charlottetown.
Summerside native Baglole, 26, and her boyfriend both focused on international business. After graduating from UPEI, the couple worked together in financial services in Dublin, Ireland, for one year before volunteering in Moshi, Tanzania, in small business development for three months. They then worked in South Korea for six months and returned to Atlantic Canada to do their MBAs at Dalhousie University, both focusing on international business and finance.
"I think we just both realized the globalized nature of business,'' said Baglole. "We wanted to experience these different countries and these different experiences.''
Their peers call co-presidents of the Dalhousie International Business Society, Baglole and McGuigan the power couple.
"But we are not 'coupily' in school,'' stressed Baglole. "We try to keep it professional in school, which everyone appreciates.''
The couple is currently doing internships just down the street from each other on Bay Street in Toronto's financial hub. Baglole is completing an eight-month corporate residency component of her MBA at TD Securities while McGuigan is learning the ropes with Scotiabank.
Baglole notes while she has been working in Toronto, many people and co-workers voice surprise that she and McGuigan are from Prince Edward Island.
"And surprisingly many don't even know P.E.I. has a university,'' she added. "We're both so proud to represent our Island and would love to share this (our story) with Islanders.''
Baglole wants a career that will allow her to link businesses here with businesses in the developing world to create opportunities for people who would not otherwise have them.
McGuigan, meanwhile, says his focus is to pursue work in global capital markets.
The career paths of the duo are similar enough to allow the pair to help each other, but different enough to likely ensure they won't be in business together. So if not business partners, life partners perhaps.
"I think it's just fortunate that we met each other and we have these shared goals,'' said Baglole. "I do look forward to a career in international business and also to have Jamie there to challenge me and push me.''
McGuigan echoes that.
"I just feel really lucky that I found somebody that is really ready to challenge me,'' he said.
