Career conversations: Making the switch from journalism to ESG investing

The CFA® charter really gives me the knowledge and skills for me to succeed in my role and helps me better connect with others in the investment community. My name is Wanfeng Zhou. I'm an ESG and Climate Consultant. I'm based in Toronto, Canada. As an ESG consultant, I work with some of the largest institutional investors, such as pension funds, investment managers, and help them integrate environmental, social, and governance factors into their investment processes.

I started my CFA® journey when I was working as a financial journalist for a global news organization. My responsibilities involved covering the global financial markets and I interviewed many top economists and policymakers.  

There were some significant financial events happening at the time, such as the global financial crisis, the rise of the emerging markets, such as China. I found many of these topics very fascinating and wanted to learn more about finance.

And the CFA® Program is a perfect fit and it also allowed me to continue my full-time job. After earning the CFA® designation, I made a career shift into investment management, gaining experience in portfolio management, product development, and also an understanding of the role sustainability plays in investment decisions.

The investment industry is playing an important role in tackling some of the world's biggest environmental and social challenges. Decarbonizing the global economy requires a reallocation of trillions of dollars, creating new risks and opportunities.

The CFA Program will help you build a solid foundation in investment analysis and enable you to better manage the risks and capture the opportunities. After I left journalism and started applying for opportunities in the investment industry.

I had a very hard time getting interviews initially because the lack of direct relevant experience, and CFA® designation helped me tremendously. After many unsuccessful attempts, I secured an interview with a large investment manager who highly values the CFA® designation. And earning the charter really helped me build credibility and trust, and demonstrated my preparation and commitment to the career shift.

Lifelong learning is an essential element of joining the CFA® community. Two years ago, as part of my continuous learning journey, I also earned the CFA Institute's certificate in ESG Investing, which helped me deepen my expertise, knowledge about the ESG industry.

If you're considering transitioning into the finance and investment industry, earning the CFA® charter designation could be even more important to show future employers how you are preparing yourself for new career opportunities. I believe if you are already considering the CFA Program, you already have the ambition and a positive attitude towards learning and career progression. Where there is a will, there is a way.