Charterholder Profiles CFA charterholders from around the world share their professional and personal experiences

Rana Atallah, CFA

Kuwait City, Kuwait CFA Society Kuwait

Rana Atallah, CFA, is a portfolio manager in Kuwait. She is a founding member of CFA Kuwait and serves as chairperson of the Public Awareness Committee. She has been a CFA charterholder since 2006.

John DeMoss, CFA

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States CFA Society East Tennessee

Long before John DeMoss, CFA, opened the doors of his private wealth management firm in 2009, it was evident that he had the spirit of an entrepreneur.

Kerstin Dodel, CFA

Munich, Germany CFA Society Germany

Dr. Kerstin Dodel, CFA, is a financial consultant at a firm in Munich, Germany, and serves as the advocacy chair for the German CFA Society. She has been a CFA charterholder since 2007.

Coventry Edwards-Pitt, CFA

Boston, Massachusetts, United States Boston Security Analysts Society

As a senior client adviser, Coventry Edwards-Pitt needed the technical tools to confidently address the range of investment issues she faces. “The CFA charter helps me feel that I’m prepared for in-depth discussions with my clients.”

Olivia Engel, CFA

Sydney, Australia CFA Society Sydney

“I never really envisioned that I would be in any sort of club because I’m not a ‘joiner’ by nature, but having the CFA charter has made me feel like I am part of a larger, global community,” says Olivia Engel, CFA.

Ana Cecilia Reyes Esparza, CFA

Mexico City, Mexico CFA Society Mexico

It was a desire to gain the skillset needed to assess the big picture that convinced Esparza that the CFA designation was the right choice for her.

Daniel Gamba, CFA

New York, New York, United States New York Society of Security Analysts

For Daniel Gamba, CFA, becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst marked a crossroads in his career.

Jayesh Gandhi, CFA

Mumbai, India Indian Association of Investment Professionals

There is a shift occurring in the global economy, and in Mumbai, Jayesh Gandhi, CFA, has been preparing for it for almost two decades.

Peter Jakobus, CFA

Frankfurt, Germany CFA Society Germany

Peter Jakobus was attracted to the charter because it’s the same curriculum worldwide, and the body of knowledge itself is based on input from all over the globe. “It’s truly a passport to the international world of finance,” he says.

Pan Jiang, CFA

Shanghai, China CFA China
The Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts

Although Pan Jiang had just earned his MBA degree from the Yale School of Management in 1998, he was searching for something more.

Maria Kahane, CFA

Paris, France CFA Society France

While some CFA Program candidates describe their time studying for the CFA exams as arduous, Maria Kahane begs to differ. In fact, one of her favorite parts of the day, she recalls, was her solitary study time.

Ashley Khoo, CFA

Hong Kong The Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts

In September 2001, Ashley Khoo was living in New York City. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, she made a decision: To take advantage of every opportunity because life is unpredictable.

Ken Luce, CFA

Toronto, Ontario, Canada CFA Society Toronto

Ken Luce, CFA, works for an asset manager in Toronto, Canada, and is a member of the Toronto CFA Society. He has been a CFA charterholder since 2006.

Nina de Martinis-Majstorovic, CFA

Paris, France CFA Society France

When Nina de Martinis-Majstorovic, CFA, wanted to get more involved with her local community of charterholders in Paris, it wasn’t surprising that she chose the CFA Institute Research Challenge, a global competition of university finance students.

Saurav Mishra, CFA

Mumbai, India Indian Association of Investment Professionals

"The most interesting and challenging aspect of my work is the sheer randomness and unpredictability of the markets,” he says. “Every day is a new day, and you cannot predict what opportunities will present themselves or challenges that will come as you enter the office in the morning."

Clifford Mpare, CFA

Accra, Ghana

With over 25 years of private and public equity investment management experience in the United States, Canada, and Africa, Clifford Mpare, CFA, is the chairman and CEO of Frontline Capital Advisors, an investment management firm based in Ghana.

Anna Nemeth, CFA

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada CFA Society Victoria

Anna Nemeth, CIM, CFA, lives in Victoria, B.C., and is a vice president and senior portfolio manager for a private investment firm. Anna is an active volunteer in the CFA Victoria Society, and she earned her charter in 2001.

Yoshiharu Okazaki, CFA

Tokyo, Japan CFA Society Japan

The first Japanese charterholder to be nominated to the CFA Institute Board of Governors, Yoshi earned his CFA charter in 1981.

Zouheir Tamim-Jarkas, CFA

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CFA Society Emirates

As a finance and accounting professor at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Zouheir Tamim-Jarkas had always admired the technical rigor of the CFA Program.

David Wellinghoff, CFA

Boston, Massachusetts, United States Boston Security Analysts Society

As a senior software engineer entering the investment profession, David Wellinghoff needed a respected credential that would show his credibility and commitment to making the change.

Peter Wilmshurst, CFA

Melbourne, Australia CFA Society Melbourne

Success for global equity managers faced with ever-changing conditions is all about staying connected to the companies and industries they analyze and fast-moving global markets. For the right personality, it can be a stimulating passion - but it can also mean pretty difficult hours.

Bruce Wonil Lee, CFA

Seoul, Korea, Rep. of (South) CFA Society Korea

As a young investment professional working in South Korea, Bruce Wonil Lee, CFA, dreamed of building a career in global investment management. “I realized there were many things that I could learn from a global standard like the CFA Program.”

Vo-Sang Xuan Vinh, CFA

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam CFA Society Thailand

Vo-Sang Xuan Vinh, CFA, believes the role of highly trained financial professionals is especially critical as the global economy evolves. “There is a paradigm shift occurring, and this is very valuable for new emerging markets like Vietnam.”

Julie Yu, CFA

Beijing, China CFA China

Nothing is more important at this pivotal time than having the values and skills needed to ensure the creation of fair and efficient markets.

This was certainly true for Julie Yu, CFA, in 2001, when she entered China’s asset management industry as its first mutual fund was launching.

Charterholder Profiles CFA charterholders from around the world share their professional and personal experiences

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