When did you become a CFA Charterholder?
I completed my CFA exams in June 2006, but received my charter some time in March 2007.
Describe your career path since graduating from university.
From 1999 to 2001 (straight out of college), I worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst in a now defunct stockbrokerage firm. I was part of an investment banking team that looked for fast growing small to mid-sized firms wherein our foreign principal can invest in (pre-IPO). We were also involved in some rights with warrants and IPO issuances back then.
After our principal closed the stockbrokerage in 2001, I worked overseas for a while before joining Colgate-Palmolive Philippines. In Colgate, I started out as a Cost Analyst then progressed to Financial Planning Specialist, Cost Accounting Manager, then to my current responsibility as Customer Development Finance Manager. It was during my early years in Colgate that I took the CFA exams.
Describe your current job. Which part of the CFA curriculum do you find most relevant to your current job?
My primary responsibility as Customer Development Finance Manager is to ensure that our group (Luzon Modern Trade) meets sales, profitability and margin targets for each customer. This means that, for each trade activity we join, we get enough incremental sales to generate positive margins and ROI (if possible). Through our budget and planning process, I also do macro-level analysis of our product categories (ie. toothpaste, toothbrush, etc) and retail environments (ie. supermarkets, wholesalers, etc.) to determine where growth is coming from, where growth opportunities lie or how macro trends affect our growth and profitability. Plus, I also help manage working capital by liaising with customers, particularly those with Accounts Receivable issues.
Accounting, financial analysis and economics are the CFA body of knowledge topics most relevant to my career at this point. One has to have a strong background in these areas in order to know how each customer transaction or piece of macro-economic data can impact the company's finances.
So as not to lose my familiarity with the other topics in the CFA curriculum, I do apply certain portfolio management skills in managing my own finances and investments.
How has the CFA program helped your career?
I was promoted each year for three straight years during the same years as I was taking my exams for the CFA charter. Taking the 3 levels of exams themselves is already a demonstration of one's commitment to higher learning in the field of finance. Having an internationally recognized charter would definitely help in putting my name for consideration for international finance career opportunities within the Colgate Palmolive Company.
What advice would you give someone looking to pursue the CFA program?
The CFA charter is one of the best (and certainly the most cost effective) options in obtaining a higher degree of education in the field of finance. The broad body of knowledge covered from Levels I to III gives you a thorough understanding of the world of finance from different perspectives. For example, corporate CFO's would tend to focus on accounting, financial analysis and economics, investment analysts on enterprise valuation methods, while portfolio managers on asset allocation and portfolio risks. Having a general understanding of each of these perspectives would definitely be most rewarding for those pursuing a long term career in finance.
For those already in the process of pursuing their CFA charters, ensure that you allow ample study time for each topic. Starting your review early and being consistent in your study time definitely helps.
What is your favorite way of spending weekends?
Saturdays are generally for swimming, working out, and catching up on some reading. Sundays are for church and watching movies and/or trying new restaurants with the family.
Are you a supporter of world peace, cleaner environment, and elimination of world poverty and hunger?
While all of the above advocacies are very important, I'm not a direct supporter of any of them per se. The way to achieve them, I believe, is through a genuine transformation of the hearts and minds of people to have unconditional love and compassion towards their fellow men (picture a world where these "transformed" people all move in one accord for a common good - with no hint of greed, pride, or any other hidden agenda).
We alone cannot effect this transformation on ourselves. We need God. The God who promised that ALL these things will be added to us (man) if we seek His Kingdom first.
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