Say hello to Murtaza Doriwala, the Genesis Intensive Review Seminar Scholarship Winner and Genesis Genius for December 2011.

Murtaza recently completed his Bachelor of Commerce Finance with Distinction from the University of Wollongong in Dubai. A scholarly student,he earned a place on the Deans Merit List.

He however, is not all work and no play. Murtaz is a gadget freak, enjoys exploring and understanding new technologies and hanging around with friends.

Murtaza @ Genesis:
Murtaza enrolled with Genesis Institute for the Level 1 Intensive Review Seminar in November 2011. From the day he came for the counseling, one could observe that he was a focused, sincere candidate who had it in him to crack CFA Level 1. All he needed was an extra push to reach his goal and that’s where our team stepped in.

His Genesis Experience:
I started my CFA program with less than 90 days left to the exam and I had no clue how to deal with it. The IRS at Genesis came as a blessing with only 30 days to exam which had set a strong foundation for my revision and exam, it helped me use the last 1 month before the exam very effectively. The study materials and the questions provided during the IRS were an excellent source in my revision. Whatever I say would be less to describe and complement the excellent faculty that Genesis has, faculty members such as Binod Shankar, Mohit Malhotra and others members were always there to help me out with any doubts and they kept me motivated throughout. They showed me the importance and the meaning of those three letters CFA. Those long 10 hrs of our life’s in the IRS was like a war to me but they made those daily 10 hours so relaxing and fun, that there was not a single moment where I felt bored. I would recommend all CFA candidates to take the IRS as it creates a stronger base for your revision.

The CFA Warzone:
My friends Ravi, Naresh, Hardeek and Kajal and I started our CFA preparations immediately after graduation. The level and amount of determination and concentration required for the CFA program is way different from that of college life. So the transition was not easy, it meant giving up on a lot of daily activities and no social life for those 3 months till the exam. As they say until there is no pain there is no gain. For us it meant giving up all our fun and enjoyment so that we could pass the CFA level I exam and also the Level II and Level III in the future. Since we all had not taken the LLS, we use to generally study together and helped each other out as my strong topics would be someone else’s weak topic and vice versa. Studying in a group sure did make it easier for all of us to remember topics and it made difficult topics trouble-free. Finally I would like to thank my family, friends, Genesis faculty and staff members for all their help and support throughout this entire Level I Journey.

As for now I have my fingers crossed and I’m waiting for my CFA Level I results and I wish good luck to all those candidates awaiting their CFA level I results.

We have full confidence in you Murtaza. Needless to say we look forward to seeingyou in Level 2

Connect with Murtaza @ murtaza.doriwala@gmail.com

Introducing Sacha, the Genesis Live Lecture Series Scholarship Winner and Genesis Genius for November 2011.

Sacha completed her B Com and MBA in Finance from Mumbai, India after which she went on to work at Franklin Templeton Asset Management India Pvt. Ltd in Mumbai, India. She initially started with Customer relations and graduated to Institution Sales in the Business Development Department. Sacha also did a short stint in Axis Asset Management India Pvt. Ltd. in the central Sales team as a Deputy Manager. She has been on a break for over 2 years now and wants to be back in action very soon, preferably into Analysis.

Besides CFA, her 10 month old son keeps her busy. Sacha is a complete people's person. Her Family is her passion. A self confessed sweet tooth, Sacha loves baking and devouring cakes!

Sacha @ Genesis :
Sacha is one of the most recent members of Team CFA. She enrolled for Level 1 Live Lecture Series for the December 2011 exam and has recently completed the Intensive Review Seminar. From day one, she has been one of the brightest, most articulate students in class. Binod Shankar, Managing Director, Genesis Institute and one of the faculty members who taught Sacha is all praises for her."I know Sacha quite well as I kicked off the CFA Level 1 classes in her batch ( Batch # 1- Dubai for Dec 2011) as well as taught that batch Quant and Financial Reporting & Analysis. I found her to be a very diligent student. The fact that she joined Batch # 1 ( i.e. the earliest batch that started in June 201) showed how serious she was about CFA; Sacha did not underestimate the challenge although she is a commerce graduate and had an MBA as well. I recall that she very rarely missed classes and had no basic questions, a sure sign that she had read before attending the class. This pre reading is strongly encouraged and makes any student's work ( and the Instructor's job) much easier! We also track student progress in the practice tests and she top scored in the tests. Her effort is more commendable considering she has a 10 month old baby...

So all the indicators- early start, regular attendance, good classroom performance, high test performance- point towards a high probability -there are no certainties in Finance!- of Sacha writing Level 2 in June 2012. It'd be excellent to see her succeed (partly from a selfish motive as I did spend some time teaching her batch!), but also she is an excellent example of the commitment, effort and focus required to tackle a program as rigorous as CFA."

Her Genesis Experience:
“For me Genesis has been a life saver. It has given me confidence to take on a course like CFA which is nothing short of daunting and intimidating because of the breath and depth of the curriculum, and even more because I decided to study after a long time.The biggest advantage of Genesis is the faculty, in particular Binod, they are not only brilliant at what they do, but also make the class really fun and interesting. They make it more practical by bringing in current affairs and life experiences into the classroom. They are really passionate about the course and that rubs off on the students too. I was completely surprised to see the level of matter that is covered in the IRS. I could'nt have asked for a better platform to begin my revision. Thank you Genesis."

The CFA Warzone:
“CFA is all about being disciplined. I just followed the book ( i.e. the plan given by Genesis ) and the results started showing. I would prepare for the class, get my doubts cleared in class and then do a revision after. This is something I tried to maintain through out the LLS. I am now looking forward to clearing CFA, Level I and waiting to get my hands on CFA level II. Can't wait!

We have high hopes from you Sacah! And we look forward to seeing you in Level 2 soon.

Connect with sacha @ sachdcosta@gmail.com

Introducing Alan Winwood, our MVP and Star of the Season!!  Genesis Genius for September 2011, Alan just cleared the CFA Level III exam, making that 3 for 3 on first attempts and always with a smile!

An engineer by qualification, Alan completed his undergraduate and Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London.  He dabbled with internships in Engineering, Investment Banking and Consulting, before choosing to focus on Strategy.  He spent 3 years in financial services Strategy Consulting based in London, and 3 years in Corporate Strategy for an Abu Dhabi government investment institution.  Now, with CFA Level III under his belt, he will look to make a move into the investment space in the near future. 

Alan likes to keep in shape and enjoys playing tennis, squash and golf.  When he’s not trying to be healthy, he spends quality time with the people he cares about, either on a night out or just relaxing with a shisha and a good mixed grill!

Alan @ Genesis: 
Alan is a Genesis loyalist and has been with us literally since inception.   From our very first 20 student Level I IRS class all the way through to our pioneer Level III batch, he has been one of the permanent faces of Team CFA.  Binod Shankar, CFA® & MD, Genesis Institute is all praises for Alan.  “It is incredibly satisfying to know that Alan made it through, passing each exam on the first attempt as well!  I think he shares with a few other successful Level III candidates some truly unique and “mission critical” traits:  Smart (of course!), a high level of motivation, an incredible capacity for sheer hard work, a love of the CFA curriculum and a  positive attitude towards the challenges thrown up by the grueling CFA exams.  I have never seen him frustrated or down and often used to admire his ability to always look and act immaculate, calm and très cool!!  He did everything exactly by the book – started early, studied regularly, followed the CFA Curriculum, attended the Genesis Live Lectures and finished off his prep with the Genesis IRS.

Very importantly, apart from being academically brilliant, what struck me about Alan was that he always came across as a very decent guy – down to earth (although he has achieved a lot and does have much to shout about!), friendly, patient, with a sense of humor and quick to give a thumbs up for a class well done – we Instructors need motivation too!  Attitude is the key and Alan has loads of the right stuff.

I am sure his qualifications, experience and attitude will propel him to a highly successful career and I look forward to watching his progress.  We are very proud of Alan at Genesis.  And yes, nice guys do sometimes finish first! J ”

His Genesis Experience:
“Genesis has been a life saver throughout the most difficult, most frustrating and most stressful 3 years of my life.  Honestly the faculty members are brilliant!  And it’s not just because they are smart (which they are), or that they can teach a class (which they can).  This is all true, but a lot of people can do that.  At Genesis, firstly, they are all charter holders which is very reassuring… they have been there, they know what it takes to pass, and they are keen to share that knowledge with you.  But it’s more than that… the Genesis faculty actually do a good job of making it fun.  A 4-hour class on some pretty dry topics doesn’t sound like the best way to pass an evening, but the personality, sense of humor and sheer enthusiasm that every faculty member brings to class really helps.  That’s what made the difference for me.  The classes are great, and I do believe that the LLS definitely helped me to get through Level II unscathed.  But the IRS is what really differentiates Genesis.  I enrolled in their very first IRS for CFA Level I in June ’09, and came back each year for Levels II and III.  That course should be considered a MUST for anyone who is sitting for CFA and is serious about passing.  Trust me.”

The CFA Warzone:
“The CFA exams are tough. Without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done.  Everyone says this, and it’s true:  you will not pass without making some significant sacrifices in your life.  I put in 4-5 hours a day every day for 5 months at Level II, and still didn’t walk out of that room feeling confident that I had passed! 

I started reading around mid-end January each year – a slightly delayed New Year’s Resolution.  And then basically gave up on 90% of “fun” from that point until the exam in June.  I worked from the curriculum as much as I could – every page, every question – only switching to Schweser Notes at the last minute when I felt I was running out of time.  The curriculum content is huge, there is just so much of it… but on the bright side it is a well written and interesting text.  If you honestly think you can put the time and effort in from day 1 right through to the end to do it “the hard way”, then I strongly recommend it.  It worked… I completely annihilated the Level I and Level II exams, and did very well at Level III as well! J 

For those sitting for Level III, a point to note.  Everyone talks about Level II as being the toughest exam, but don’t underestimate that last one.  The essay section, plus the fact that you need to “pull it all together” makes it a tricky one.  Definitely take some time off work before each exam.  I took 1 week of study leave, in addition to the IRS course, and this seemed to work.  However each year, I found myself regretting that I hadn’t taken more time off… if you have the holiday days to spare then do it.  And good luck! “

Kudos to you Alan!  You have achieved the dream and now it’s time to enjoy the results!  Look forward to seeing the 3 letters besides your name!

Connect with Alan @ alan.winwood@gmail.com

Meet Aman Dham, Fashionista, the unassuming boy next door, adventurer, New joinee to the CFA Level 3 league (having recently cleared Level 2) and Genesis Genius for the month of August 2011.

Scholarly inclined, Aman has completed an MBA in Finance. He currently works in Operations and Logistics for a Fashion House and aspires to foray into the financial world soon. A social person, Aman loves hanging out with friends, enjoys adventure drives and swears by cricket. He’s a music buff, sings and has tried his hand at the guitar too!

Aman @ Genesis:
Aman enrolled for the Genesis Live Lecture Series and the Intensive Review Seminar both for the December 2010 Level 1 exam and then the June 2011 CFA Level 2 exam. Binod Shankar, Managing Director and faculty Genesis Institute vocalizes the unanimous opinion of the Genesis Team about him. “Its’ not easy to take on and kill the Level 2 exam which is arguably the toughest level in the CFA course (some students call it the “Monster” or the “Beast”). And to do that immediately after passing Level 1 (Dec 2010) means approx 8 months of intense study of continuously escalating difficulty. I take pride in the fact that we at Genesis get to know our students pretty well during the course. Over the last year my relationship with Aman has transformed from just being a Trainer to being a Mentor and Friend as well (this happens a lot at Genesis!). Aman always comes across as a down to earth and chilled out person. But behind that casual exterior is a sharp intellect, an incredible appetite for hard work and a laser like focus . For him it was always CFA or Nothing. One advantage of attending live lectures is the networking with other students and Aman connected ( and learned from) others. He was very consistent and rarely missed classes or practice tests/mock exams. Our instructors are also available off line and Aman used this channel to interact, enquire and learn. Importantly ( and perhaps not so commonly) Aman showed genuine interest in most parts of the CFA curriculum and is an example of what I believe is namely that if you enjoy learning you will do better. He executed his study plan exactly by the book and the results have come through, predictably.

Its not always that nice guys finish first. So we at Genesis are over the moon to see that Aman is a CFA Level 3 candidate (in fact just a week after getting the Level 2 results he has already registered for the Level 3 exam and got the CFA books!!!). I am looking forward to seeing with the three letters after his name very soon. Go Leut Dham!”

His Genesis Experience:
“Genesis, from the day I came for my first workshop with Binod/Mohit, it has never been a formal place for me. Its’ been a place I have had fun and learned every day. The staff, the classes, the whole experience has been a wonderful journey for me. The team Genesis is led by an energy filled, full of life, amazingly talented teacher and smart person Mr. B (as I call him) or even Colonel. If I take names here, I will end up taking all the names I have interacted within Genesis, starting from B, moving across all faculties, namely Mohit, Taimur, Mohd. Ahsan, Nitin, Lalit, Vinod, into the people who are behind the scenes - Dhrupad, Ritu, Priyam, it is a bond I share with all of them. All of them have actually taken personal interest to make sure I ace my exams!
Sometimes, we as humans are capable enough, or have the potential within us, but just need a small touch on our back, saying "Yes, you can!" Thats what Genesis has done to me ! Its the confidence all of them have seen in me, that I felt, Yes, I Could ! I am so glad and thankful for the day, I actually thought of joining my IRS for Level 1 with this team. The two people always in action are two very different personalities. Binod is an action packed, full of throttle, 'you have to do it' personality. You feel pressure in classes around him, but its good pressure, pressure that is required to kick you and make you run for your life. On the other hand we have Mohit, a calm composed person, a 'you can do it' personality. He doesn’t load you with pressure, but reminds you that if you put in the hard work and time, you still can make it. Honestly, I love the mix of these two, which makes studying here even more amazing.
Binod used to send us messages on our bbms every morning close to the exams. These messages were filled with motivational quotes, along with some very under-rated tips from Mr. B, which actually turned out to be game changers for me. This is just an example of the journey I have had with them. I still have one more to go, so you guys are going to see more of me :)

Special thanks to Mr. Mohd. Ahsan, who could actually make us laugh, sometimes at 9-10pm, while we were indulged in Swaps and Swaptions! He made Derivatives such an interesting subject for me.
Also, the friends that I have made after coming to Genesis, are wonderful people and amazing human beings. I know many of them now, and can blindly say that yes, they could stand up for me. Thank you Genesis! “

The CFA Warzone:
“Level I was hard, and Level II got harder. It requires more commitment, more dedication, in-depth understanding of what you studied in Level I. Dedication is the key word here, you 'have to have to have to' give-up many things, and be so extremely focused on this to get through. Its literally like a continuous uphill run, which requires high level of mental strength, and some passion within you. A passion to fight it out and win in the end ! Something really important to you, should be driving you to this goal of passing your exam, thats how you increase your chances of clearing.
I started preparing as I got my results for Level I in Jan 2011 end. Classes with Genesis started in February, and used to keep in touch with my books on a weekly basis. I got left behind in the start, because after work I had to come and sit and start reading what had been done, but i just had to. Me and my study partners used to go and study after work in Costa Coffee, for hours. My thursday nights had been given up long back. My friends had forgotten me by the end. But I just had to make sure, that if I am going to write this exam, I want to write it with my full preparation, and I am ready to give up many things for this. Because the feeling of passing would be enormous for me.
My full throttle days came somewhere around the month of April/May, where I went all in. I was off before the exam for four weeks, during which my average study time in a day was peaking around 14-15 hours a day. It used to get exhausting, but I made sure I peaked at the right time. Binod had told this to me before my level 1 exam, make sure you are at your peak on the day, not before and not after. So you cant be at your best physical and mental state just days before your exam. So you have to make sure, you are at your best on the exam day. I made sure I attempted all the questions in the CFA curriculum books, because they really are what the CFA Institute is looking for. If it got exhausting, I would go for a drive and listen to some music, and come back and start again.
My friends and family always backed me up with this so have to appreciate them from the bottom of my heart.””

Connect with Aman @ dham.aman@gmail.com