What Type Of Person Thrives In The Financial Services Industry, According To A Senior Manager Financial Alliances And Strategy At LiquiLoans
Arnav's entire career has been in financial services, an industry they find "the lifeblood of the economy," because its health directly impacts overall economic performance, as seen in India's recent economic shifts. The understanding of financial services' metrics and balance sheets provides a strong foundation for understanding other sectors, making it a versatile and impactful career path.
Financial Services, Economics, Financial Analysis, Investment Banking, Strategic Planning
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Arnav Sutaria
Sr. Manager - Financial Alliances & Strategy
LiquiLoans (FinTech Startup)
University of Mumbai, 2018
None, professional certification - Chartered Accountant (India)
Accounting
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Strategic Management and Executive
International Student
Video Highlights
1. The financial services industry is the lifeblood of the economy and understanding it provides a strong foundation for understanding other sectors.
2. The industry is large and impactful, as evidenced by its significant weighting in major stock market indices like India's Nifty 50.
3. A career in finance offers diverse opportunities, from auditing and investment banking to internal strategy roles, with the potential to work in various industries, as every company needs a finance department.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
I've worked in the financial services industry for five years. I've never worked in any other sector.
When I did audit, I examined banks and insurance companies. In investment banking M&A, I reviewed financial statements and prepared pitch decks for companies, also within financial services. My internal strategy role was also in this sector. My entire career has been in financial services, an industry I really enjoy.
There are benefits to working in financial services. While you can do finance for any company, even automotive or tire manufacturers, because every company has a finance department, I like the financial sector because it's the lifeblood of the economy. I feel it drives everything.
In India, for example, the stock market has a weightage. The Nifty 50, which represents the top 50 companies by market cap, includes financial service companies. They account for 30% to 40% of the market cap. In India, the financial service sector is the largest constituent of the stock exchanges and drives the economy.
A few years ago, when the Indian economy wasn't doing well, there was a decline partly due to bad loans on the books of financial sector companies. Banks and NBFCs had lent to companies that weren't scrupulous about repaying. However, in the last couple of years, the economy has picked up.
Banks have cleaned up their books and are now more scrupulous with lending. The number of non-performing or gross stage three assets has reduced considerably. The financial services sector, though technical, drives everything.
If you understand this sector, you can understand many others, as they are often sub-segments of it. For instance, understanding a bank's balance sheet makes it easier to understand the balance sheet of an automotive manufacturer or airline company.
Every industry has its own metrics. For financial services, net interest margin is key to profitability, representing the difference between lending and borrowing rates. However, financial services helps you get into whatever you want.
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