Vlad Vladusic, CFA
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Passed all three CFA examinations in three consecutive years.
• Calculated the impact of secondary investment sales on hedge fund fees and investor returns.
• Conducted a full review of financial statements to ensure accuracy and proper account classifications.
• Co-ordinated with IT to develop database performance reporting through linkages to the portfolio management system.

Congratulations on becoming a new CFA Charterholder. What was your background before enrolling in the CFA program?

Before enrolling in the program, I graduated from the University of Toronto’s Bachelor of Commerce program with a specialization in accounting and a major in economics. My goal after graduating was to work for an investment manager in an accounting role, so pursuing my charter was a natural next step.

What’s your current role?

My current role is operations associate for Diversified Global Asset Management Corp., a hedge fund based in Toronto. My primary responsibilities relate to accounting for our funds. I’ve also taken an active role in risk management and assisted with the secondary sale of underlying funds within our fund-of-fund vehicles.

What goals do you hope to achieve professionally?

I hope to continue to expand my knowledge of accounting and finance and remain current on developments in my industry.

How do you expect the CFA designation to help your progress in your career?

I think attention to detail and analytical skills are critical to the accounting profession. The CFA program helped me develop these skills and improved my understanding of various financial investments. It’s important to understand the underlying economics of investments to properly conduct the accounting for them. Ultimately, I think having this solid base of knowledge is a good foundation for my future career.

Did your pursuit of the CFA designation help you land your first job out of school?

Yes, it did. In broad terms, it helped me demonstrate my analytical skills to potential employers, which is helpful in my particular field of finance. It also helped me to balance the technical side with the ethical grounding and ability to think critically that are core to the CFA program.

What do you see as the most valuable aspects of CFA Society Toronto for a new charterholder?

For me, one of the main benefits is the conferences and symposiums, which feature guest speakers and opportunities to network with other investment professionals. There is often quite a bit of educational value in these events, but they also allow new charterholders to expand their networks, which is an important part of developing your career.