Wanted to get your input on how applicable to CFA is in the commodities world? Figure the quant stuff could apply. Future/forwards/swaps/option pricing could apply. Portfolio managment could possibly apply. Economics could apply. And then just knowing about the other asset classes on a level as specific as the CFA gets could be useful in analyzing commodity investments compared to all other alternatives at any point in time.
Would love to hear or even network and PM in private with anyone here who works in commodities and could offer some advice on that area.
I ask because I keep getting a few calls from recruiters for possible “product control” / P&L jobs at some decent commodity companies and wondering how CFA and that career path would intersect.
“product control” is just another term for “back office”. would the CFA help? arguably “any finance job” could help by the CFA, so if all you care about it learning, then yes do it.
Answer: Quite honestly no. The CFA is really just a credential of competence. Anyone without a CFA can do the same job as someone with a CFA all else being equal.
The CPA is actually an entry barrier as it’s a license to conduct certain accounting activities.
itera, would you say “product control” is a bit more middle office or at least interacts more with traders/front office more than say someone in settlements? That’s sort of the way I’m being sold on this position. Currently I do risk/performance measurement in the asset mgmt space but not much mobility in current firm or similiar firms in my area.
CFAvsMBA, point taken. Same could be true for my current job and next jobs, however I do see some preference in “next jobs” ads/descriptions for people who have advanced education such as a Masters, MBA, or CFA. Maybe that’s the answer… just advanced education in general in it’s various forms. But relating to commodities, I’m wondering how much preference could be given to a CFA. In traditional asset management with some asset class research and portfolio management, I can certainly see how the CFA applies. In commodities, you can probably throw out the financial reporting section. So just curious what parts of CFA are definitely applicable to commodities world work and is there any preference given to advanced education obtained through the CFA, especially for higher level jobs.
product control definitely interacts with the front office/traders. But “interacting” by itself doesn’t mean anything. People in Operations (settlements) interact with them as well.
People always try spinning back office positions like Middle Office because frankly it sounds a lot better