Congratulations to our newest class of CFA Charterholders

On behalf of CFA Society Melbourne and your fellow CFA charterholders in Melbourne, we are pleased to congratulate you on your achievement and welcome you to CFA Society Melbourne. Earning your CFA charter took hard work and commitment.  This accomplishment helped you hone your skills, expand your knowledge and ground yourself with a strong code of ethics.

Meet Winston Kosasih, and read of his journey towards becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Following a chance encounter and subsequent research into the CFA designation, I knew that I wanted to break into the investment management industry and the CFA program was what I needed to provide me with the fundamental knowledge to make that shift from my initial engineering background. I viewed the formidable task of mastering the whole body of knowledge through self-study as not only an opportunity to learn but also as a means to demonstrate to myself that I possessed the grit, determination, and discipline to persevere through what is widely recognized as one of the most challenging series of exams in the world.

And so, I embarked on my journey with the CFA program, along with my gamble to shift industries, a journey fraught with uncertainty, with an end goal that felt at times so distant and out of reach. The familiar struggles that all candidates and Charterholders can attest to soon became a part of my daily life; early mornings, sacrificing social events, weekends spent at the library, to name a few. However, it was all worth it in the end because from the moment I turned over the first page in the curriculum, I was filled with a sense of wonder, an unparalleled feeling of empowerment from gaining knowledge that enriched my understanding of the world around me.

Passing all three levels of the CFA program played a pivotal role in eventually securing a position in the industry. Without the recognition and weight behind the CFA credentials with potential employers, no amount of networking and job search efforts would have sufficed for someone like me, transitioning into the field with no prior experience. This journey, though undeniably challenging, has been immensely rewarding, as it has provided me with the tools to understand the world of finance in a more profound way, allowing me to improve myself and achieve my aspirations.