securities to other fi nancial institutions. Within the
broader fi nancial services market, sales people will target
SUPUN EKANAYAKE
and sell products to fi nancial institutions and high net
Title:
worth individuals. It is not a requirement to have a
Trading Assistant
specifi c qualifi cation although the CFA is generally
Current employer:
regarded as very helpful. In addition to being
Swiss Re
commercially astute and having an ability to understand
University:
complex products, communication skills are extremely
University College London
important. As in any sales environment, there is a huge
Degrees:
amount of pressure to succeed and therefore, being
Bachelors in Mathematics
with Economics
driven, having good negotiation skills, a strong network
Professional qualifi cations:
of clients and an ability to execute a sale are essential.”
CFA Level II candidate
QUICK THINKING
Traders, on the other hand, have to think quickly on
their feet, and anticipate a market’s direction.
Guessing wrong can cost a bank millions of pounds,
What attracted you to this career path?
dollars or euros. Traders spend most of their day in
The dynamic nature of trading attracted me to a
career in this fi eld. No two days are the same
when you trade. As I drew closer to graduating, I
wanted to pursue a vocation that would allow me
to utilise my numerate background and engage
HEATHER ROPER, CFA
my interest in fi nancial markets.
Title: Sales
What are the major challenges you face in your
Current employer: HSBC
position?
Previous employers:
Barclays Capital; MTI Partners
Dealing with the unexpected always poses a
Universities: Loyola University; London
diffi culty in any career, but this is particularly
Business School
obvious in trading. You have to constantly adjust to
Degrees: BBA; MBA
changing environments, often in short spaces of
Professional qualifi cations:
time. Unlike many other jobs, there tends to be
CFA
large amounts of money at stake, which adds to
the pressure.
What attracted you to this career path?
The intellectual challenge of the position appealed to me, as well as the
Are there certain skills you would consider
opportunity to work in and learn about several different markets and the
useful for your job?
high degree of innovation synonymous with the working environment.
Certainly, being suffi ciently numerate is an
advantage. Problem-solving acumen is also vital. I
What are the major challenges you face in your position?
think softer skills, such as communicating clearly
There is a need to keep pace with the constantly evolving market for
and concisely, are also important.
structured fund products. Also, you have to navigate and respond
diplomatically to the stakeholders we are involved with, including our
How do you think the role you’re in now will
trading book, salespeople and clients in a large organisation.
change over time?
I anticipate being given a larger book to trade.
Are there certain skills you would consider useful for your job?
I value creativity, time management skills and the ability to multi-task.
Do you have advice for someone intending to
pursue the same career path?
Do you have advice for someone intending to pursue the same career
Make sure it is something you want to do and that
path?
you are attracted to it for the right reasons. The
People skills are as important, possibly more important, than the
hours are long, so make sure you have thought it
possession of quantitative skills. It is also very important not to
through thoroughly. Read widely and get involved
underestimate the role that creativity plays in the global fi nancial
in investment clubs etc. that give you a fl avour of
markets.
what it is like to trade.
72
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