About Swiss Finance Academy

How did Swiss Finance Academy prepare you for your job at Smith Barney?

The Swiss Finance Academy curriculum really improved my grasp of equity, bond and derivative markets. Each of these is essential to my job as a wealth manager. I have to be knowledgeable about most segments of the market so that I can advise my clients on available investment strategies and increase the return on their portfolio of assets. The SFA curriculum has been instrumental in this, because of the in-depth exposure that I received to financial modeling, valuation and hedge funds.

The SFA curriculum also honed my financial sophistication. High net worth clients with investments of more than one million dollars demand high returns and low volatility. The research and analysis that I performed at SFA in preparation for class presentations and exams have really improved my technical understanding and skills as they apply to these concepts.

My current position also entails developing and establishing a strong asset base by delivering marketing pitches and seeking new business. I gained plenty of experience preparing pitch books for hypothetical investors while at SFA, and that has served me particularly well on the job. Because of the significant industry experience of SFA instructors, I also came into my current job with a solid understanding of the inner workings of various departments within an investment bank; I use this understanding as an effective tool in cross-selling to existing clients.

What makes the Swiss Finance Academy network so special?

All of SFA’s participants are determined to succeed in their chosen career paths. I know that I left SFA with a network of highly qualified, highly motivated friends who will make a mark on the world of finance and business, all over the world. I have personally kept in touch with all of my SFA classmates, and most recently we organized a New York City alumni reunion so that all of us could catch up, talk about our career plans and achievements thus far and remember the great times we had in Crans-Montana. SFA also opens up all networking events to its alumni. I recently received an invitation to an SFA London career panel event, and I am also eagerly awaiting more news about this summer’s alumni reunion in Switzerland. Because the network is so closely knit, SFA alumni are willing to go the extra mile to help each other out, both personally and professionally. This is what has made the SFA network so special for me.

- Meghan Veljacic, Smith Barney (New York City)