Alumni Office Hours with Spencer Kent: Executive in Charge, Industrial Light Magic | Networking as an Introvert, and the Impacts of My Network on My Career

The Centre for Student Involvement and Careers is excited to bring you a virtual mentorship and networking opportunity to connect with UBC alumni, Spencer Kent. This event is open to all students and alumni.

Please prepare one question for Hatim’s Office Hour and email it to: amir.hariri@ubc.ca. You will also be given an opportunity to ask your questions during the event.

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Networking as an Introvert, and the Impacts of My Network on My Career

Spencer Kent is a UBC Sauder School of Business alumni, Class of 2010. He is currently the Executive in Charge of the Vancouver Studio of Industrial Light & Magic. He started his post-secondary education at Capilano University’s Motion Picture & Video Production one year program, with the hopes of breaking into the film industry afterward.

That didn’t happen. Without a very clear direction, Spencer enrolled in UBC a few years later which led to graduating with his BCom from the Sauder School of Business. He completed his coursework in three and a half years so he could start his career as soon as possible.

His first job out of school was at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in tax. Getting there was a challenge for Spencer – the networking recruiting sessions put him way out of his comfort zone. He managed to get interviews at all Big 4 accounting firms after his first round of networking, which resulted in no job offers. It wasn’t until his second attempt that he landed the PwC job.

Three years and a couple new letters after his name later, Spencer decided to seek out an industry job. He set his sights back on film, and landed a finance role in visual effects (without really understanding what visual effects was).

Spencer has spent the last 9 years working at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). ILM was founded by George Lucas and is the lead visual effects facility in the world. In his time there, Spencer has worked in various areas of finance with local and global responsibilities as the Vancouver studio went through an accelerated period of growth. In March of 2020, the position of Executive in Charge of the Vancouver Studio became vacant. Spencer decided not to apply – at least not at first.

As an introvert, networking isn’t something that has ever come naturally to Spencer, but it was an important part of his journey. As a person who also valued certainty, making pivots and taking non-linear paths in his career has also pushed Spencer out of his comfort zone regularly.

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Attending an Office Hour is an excellent opportunity for you to expand your network and participate in an open, round-table discussion with alumni.

Please email us at recruit.talent@ubc.ca if you require accommodations to access this event due to an ongoing medical condition and/or disability.