3rd Philippine Junior Finance and Investment Summit highlights ethical advantage over technical advantage

THE RECENTLY concluded Philippine Junior Finance and Investment Summit (PJFIS) at the SMX Convention Center-Manila was a treasure trove of valuable insights into current trends and future direction of the finance industry as a whole.

One of the more noteworthy insights came from speaker Andrew Stotz, president of CFA Society Thailand. His topic, “Ten Ways Ethics Adds Value to You” gave delegates tips into building one’s competitive edge by engaging in ethical practices.

In the CFA Program, there are financial areas covered where one can build competitive advantage like: Financial Accounting, Alternative Investment, Derivatives, Portfolio Management, Corporate Finance, Equity Evaluation, Fixed Income, Asset Allocation and Behavioral Finance. But above all these, according to Stotz, a financial professional must build a high level of competitive advantage in the area of ‘Ethics.’ This is a major factor that distinguishes a financial professional from others. “Build this competitive advantage in Ethics, and you’ll be rare,” Stotz said.

Mr. Stotz, an award-winning stock market analyst, has twenty years of experience working for various investment banks. He is also the CEO of A. Stotz Investment Research, which helps individuals and institutions build wealth through stock selection and portfolio management.

“I was treated ethically and my family was treated ethically, and I have benefited from it for years; that’s why I wanted to communicate ethics in a simple and positive way,” Mr. Stotz said.

As financial professionals, according to Mr. Stotz, one must be diligent, loyal, independent, trustworthy, always striving for continuous improvement, must be fair, objective, has a high sense of confidentiality, thorough, and must be able to face and address conflicts head on.

“We are meant to be independent on our work. We serve our clients. As financial professionals, we should fill the gap of our clients’ financial interest. And you should care for your clients as you would your mother,” he said.

“Build your value through ethics. Spend more time building your ethical advantage than building your technical advantage,” Mr. Stotz added.

Rosalia de Leon, Treasurer of the Philippines (Bureau of Treasury Department of Finance) and also the summit’s keynote speaker, shared, “Live a balanced life. Try new things and develop hobbies. Make smart investments today apart from savings.” She also stressed the importance of PJFIS and its advocacy.