Career conversations: Taking a holistic approach to real estate

I decided to pivot from banking because it was highly competitive in nature. I wanted a more purposeful role in my life. I found it in hospitality as I could do fundraising. Hi, I'm Nikhil Shah. I work with Colliers as a Director of Hospitality and I'm based in Mumbai, India.  

I have overall 16 years of work experience comprising of banking and real estate sector. My earlier experience of being in the banking sector where I had a relationship management role and CFA® degree played a very important role in my career shift so that I could move to the hospitality sector.  

I took up the opportunity as a challenge and I was fortunate to clear all the three levels in one go. Taking two weeks off before the exam played a very important role in clearing my CFA® examination. I cleared my CFA® examination in 2011. CFA® designation was very highly regarded and it played an important role for conceptual understanding of fundraising, valuation, feasibility. This helped my career transition from banking to hospitality.  

The CFA® Program is a globally recognized professional credential offered by CFA Institute. It is designed for investment and financial professionals who aspire to build their careers in their respective domain. The CFA Program has provided me with a comprehensive toolkit of financial knowledge, analytical skills and investment principles. This foundation has allowed me to approach industry trends and company's strategies with a much more holistic view.

The CFA Program has helped me understand various asset classes, including real estate and how they could be valued, using income and asset approach. Which methods to use, how many weightage to put depends upon various factors, like stage of construction, whether the hotel is operational.  

Being a Co-chair of the Membership Committee has got me privileged to interact with new CFA® charterholders and level III passouts. Additionally, I've been responsible to oversee the process of enlisting other companies for member benefits, thereby enabling growth and impact of CFA® community in India.

My active participation in volunteering has helped me attend various conferences, including some prestigious ones, not only within the city, but throughout India.  

This experience has significantly enriched my knowledge in fields of private equity, value investing and real estate, which has further enhanced my knowledge and established my position in the hospitality sector.