Career conversations: Going beyond numbers to uncover the human side of finance

During my career, I’ve seen a lot of changes in the Mexican industry. The Mexican industry has advanced over the past two decades to become a more professional environment. I’ve been part of that development in the country and I believe that the CFA® Program has helped a lot to bring international standards to the Mexican economy and to the Mexican finance.

My name is Luis Gonzali, CFA. I’m Vice President and Co-Chief of Investments in Franklin Templeton Mexico.  

My first approach with the exam was because a friend of mine was taking the exam. A lot of new things that he was learning I found it very interesting, so I wanted to take it as well. People I care, and people I admire is doing it, so why am I not doing it?

The exam is very challenging. There’s a lot of material to go through. A lot of new tools to learn from, but as I was studying, I started to feel part of a global community of people that have a lot of knowledge in common, ethic values.

It’s not just quantitative tools only, but they also give you the human part of what we do. For example, in the third exam they center on the client, on the people. What are their needs? Not just, calculate this or calculate that. I think that’s very valuable of what the CFA (Program) is teaching you. I fell in love with this behavioral finance and behavioral economic topics. It was an eye opener for me.

As a matter of fact, when it was picking my undergraduate degree, I was between mathematics and psychology. I chose mathematics, but I always liked psychology, so when I find out about behavioral and about all those tools that the third exam of the CFA (Program) presented to me, it was very enlightening, it was very satisfactory to know them and to know how to apply them to my daily job.

I used to study two hours a day, from Monday to Friday, over six to eight months. If you have discipline, it doesn’t matter which approach you want take, you will succeed.

Once I studied for the exam, I became more analytical and with more tools to do my job than before. My way of thinking on my analysis and the way I interact with clients, has become more complex and richer.

Here in Mexico, we are few people that have the CFA® charter. That helps us to build a lot of credibility. Having the CFA® (charter) gives you an idea of the kind of people that present the exam and pass it. It’s like a great equalizer.

If someone has a CFA® (charter), you know that they have a minimum standard of knowledge, and ethical values, and you want to work with that people. I think it’s a good point for the CFA® certification here in Mexico. And hopefully, over 10 or 15 years, we are going to be one of those countries in which having a CFA® charter is needed and not just wanted.