Ella Wang, CFA, and Frankie Zhu, CFA
Beijing, China
Charterholders since 2011
Q: What was it like to study for the CFA exams as a husband and wife team?
A: As a couple, we decided to avoid studying together in case there was a negative outcome. To achieve this, Frankie mostly studied at Kentucky Fried Chicken or McDonald’s, and I hunkered down at home. When we had questions, we communicated by phone, so we spoke quite often throughout the day. For example, neither one of us was familiar with derivatives, so when we would get frustrated we would call each other for both inspiration and knowledge sharing. It really helped us understand complex concepts because we could discuss ideas and consider the best solution.
Q: How did you keep your focus through the exam process?
A: After several years of study and training to take the exams, Frankie was able to study anywhere because his favorite study spot was at the local KFC. He has the ability to focus on anything regardless of what is happening around him, but I needed quieter surroundings for my studies at home. Despite the outside noise, though, Frankie can still focus on the peace inside. Today, he often studies Buddhism in the same way that he studied for the CFA exams. Buddhism is everywhere, and the CFA process is part of that. Buddhism gives you inner peace while the CFA curriculum provides insight into theories and different perspectives. Both give you a more tolerant and open minded attitude. Expanding our knowledge with the CFA Program was like expanding our minds while meditating and studying Buddhism.
Q: How did you schedule your studies over a four-year period and plan for 18 hours of exam time?
A: We had no time for fun during this time – we were working really hard for our dream. We had to be serious about our studies. Each spring, which is the best weather in Beijing, we studied. Every weekend and holiday, we found this as the best opportunity to study in order to master the concepts. We persisted through it all and persevered together. For four years we had no personal life or fun outside of our work and studies preparing for the CFA exam. I don’t think we could have done it alone as we kept each other going. It was tough to schedule around our lives, but doing it together somehow made it easier to accomplish.
Q: After you both earned the charter in 2011, did both of you find your ideal jobs?
A: Yes, I am happy to say that we both found our dream jobs. We work in mergers and acquisitions in China. The CFA designation gave us an advantage in our career choices, and M&A opportunities continue to grow in our region. I work at Lenovo, the largest personal computer company in the world, and Frankie is at Yili, the largest dairy company in China. M&A is a very complicated field and requires comprehensive capacities. With our CFA skills, it is easy to communicate with investment banking colleagues on such issues as valuation. With the charter, our clients and third parties view us as highly trained professionals in the field.
Q: Please tell us a favorite memory during your CFA experience.
A: The fact that we both earned the charter together is a success, but what we really enjoyed was the fact that our charters are just one digit away from each other. We have both of our CFA charters framed in our offices.
Q: Now that the exams are over, what is your favorite way to relax and have fun?
A: We love to travel and explore new places. We just returned from Tibet and India and we always dreamed of having a life where we could travel someday. We accomplished this dream through hard work, and the CFA charter was a big part of our journey to success. When we were preparing for the exams, this kind of life just didn’t exist for us.