About Swiss Finance Institute

Why did you choose Swiss Finance Institute?

At the time I enrolled, my intent was to gain an advantage in a competitive industry; I achieved this and much, much more. What initially attracted me to Swiss Finance Institute was its focus on applied skills, rather than on purely theoretical learning. I knew that the faculty was composed of current and former industry professionals, and I liked the idea of learning from instructors who had not only a deep theoretical understanding of complex finance and business concepts, but also the professional experience with which to back it up. This proved to be a really key element of my SFA experience. Faculty members were able to enrich classroom lectures with stories of their own experiences, both good and bad. They offered honest insights into the investment banking industry, and I really feel that I emerged from the program with a really solid understanding of not only the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of an investment banker, but also a knowledge of “behind the scenes” information such as industry politics, behavioral aspects and what it takes to really excel in the industry. Before submitting my application, I explored other finance and business program options; I really believe that SFA is the only program that offers this kind of practical, applied skills training.

How has Swiss Finance Institute prepared you for a career in investment banking?

The Swiss Finance Institute curriculum is incredibly intense and extremely challenging. The program afforded me the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the world of investment banking, and equipped me with the skills necessary to make a seamless transition from academia to the investment banking industry. Unfortunately, the knowledge that one acquires in a regular university setting is not always applicable to the working world; the SFA curriculum really filled that gap for me. Rather than feeling like I was just sitting in on another class, I would liken my experience to on-the-job training; faculty would teach a concept, and then assign a relevant task or project. As in the working world, it was not every man for himself – we had to work in teams, where collaboration and cooperation were imperative, as every team is only as strong as its weakest link. Each team had a vested interest in the success of other team members, and this really helped in terms of nailing down difficult lessons and concepts. By the time I left Crans-Montana, I felt that I had acquired both educational and professional experience to add to my CV. I acquired an in-depth understanding of corporate finance, and the interviewing skills that I gained have undoubtedly been an added value in the pursuit of my career path. I also left the Institute with an incredible network of friends (and future colleagues!) from all over the world.

- Mark Ramadan, Goldman Sachs