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What a Fixed Income Head at Abrdn Wishes They Knew Before Finance

Edwin, Head of Emerging Market Sovereign Debt at Abrdn, discovered the crucial need for "good quantitative and math skills" in the fixed-income industry, a fact not initially apparent; this realization led Edwin to suggest that a stronger mathematical foundation would be beneficial for aspiring professionals in this field.

Quantitative Skills, Financial Markets, Economics, Fixed Income, Math Skills

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Edwin Gutierrez

Head of Emerging Market Sovereign Debt

Abrdn

UC Berkeley

MS Foreign Service, Georgetown University

Political Science, American Studies

Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)

Finance

Honors Student

Video Highlights

1. The importance of strong quantitative and math skills in the field of fixed income investing.

2. A solid understanding of bonds and fixed income markets is crucial for success in this industry.

3. Gaining experience in the economics department can provide a valuable foundation for a career in fixed income investing.

Transcript

What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?

Something that I became aware of pretty early on is the need for good quantitative and math skills. When I first joined this industry, I didn't really know a lot about it.

I remember a funny story from my first day. I joined the economics department, which was something I knew about. While being toured around the office by my boss, the chief economist, he showed me the fixed income department.

I remember asking, "What's fixed income?" My initial thought was that it was a bunch of old people living out a fixed income. I learned shortly thereafter that "fixed income" means bonds, and that understanding bonds requires a good foundation in math and quant skills.

Looking back, I would have focused on building a stronger foundation in math and quantitative skills in college. I actually look for this in candidates now.

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