Career Conversations: Making the leap into investment banking

All that effort that I've put into the CFA Program is really recognized by industry professionals. I'm really thankful to CaixaBank, which has opened to me the doors into this competitive environment of investment banking. My name is Carlos Cremades, CFA® charterholder since May 2023, and currently, I’m working as an Investment Banking Analyst at CaixaBank.

I was born in Spain. However, during my time in the United States for high school, I was inspired by the American work ethic and the entrepreneurial spirit that they have. That's why I decided to study in EDEM, which is a business school in Valencia that focuses on startups and venture capital.

However, I realized I was really good at mathematics. I loved the statistics, and I remember I used to spend the whole time looking at the stock market and reading books about how to invest and how to become a better investor.

On my last year, I decided to join an Italian startup that had raised EUR40 million at that time to invest in the real estate sector in Spain. So I was pretty happy with how my professional career was going. However, my desire to break into investment banking led me to take the CFA Program.

So I did my own research. I talked to experts in the industry. I talked to professors in the university and they all agreed that the CFA (Program) was the golden standard in the investment industry, and also because of the rigorous and the comprehensive curriculum of the nature of the CFA (Program).

Once you register and enroll in the CFA Program, you have access to the Learning Ecosystem and everything is really well explained. That's what led me to pass all three levels at first attempt and becoming a CFA® charterholder by 24 years old.

One of the benefits I have had and received from doing the CFA Program is that I have had the chance to give talks at universities and help others and encourage them to take the CFA Program.

I was drawn by investment banking because of the prestige, the intelligence and the drive of the industry. Also, I wanted to do investment banking because of the rapid career growth that it offers. I think that you can always be continuously learning and you can also make an impact on the real economy with the deals that happen in the investment banking.

The most important thing is to have self awareness. You're going to be working in a really competitive and demanding environment. You need to be really motivated and of course you need to be always continuously learning. It's a really demanding industry and you got to give your 100%.

If I had to give an advice to someone who is preparing the CFA Program, my first advice would be to make a plan and stick to the plan. Also, you need to have in mind that this is not a sprint, this is a marathon and really the CFA (Program) takes 4 years for the average candidate.

My experience was that I prioritized studying on weekends because I had to do both work and study, but I never failed any single weekend in three years. So that's basically what led me to succeed and pass all three levels on my first attempt.