What Is a Career in Sovereign Analysis Like? In Conversation with a Sovereign Analyst

The Career Discovery Podcast

On the show today we meet Biola! Biola works as a Sovereign Analyst in the Asset Management/Investment Management industry in the UK.
Biola kindly shares with us:
Area of expertise (05:41)

• Common misconceptions of the sovereign analyst role
• An overview of the asset management/investment management industry
• The purpose of the sovereign analyst role
• What a sovereign analyst does on an average day
• Specialist tools:
  • Bloomberg
  • Macrobond
  • Excel
  • R
  • EViews
  • Python
• Most enjoyable parts of the role
• Challenging parts of the role
• Proudest moments in the role

Career journey (30:14)

• How Biola became a sovereign analyst from wanting to be a lawyer as a child
• Highs of the career journey
• Challenges of the career journey
• Proudest moments of the career journey
• Importance of role models and mentors

Advice (58:25)

• Helpful education, training and skills for aspiring sovereign analysts
• The future of the sovereign analysis profession
• Advice and resources for people who are keen to find out more about a career in sovereign analysis:
  • Financial Times
  • The Undercover Economist - Tim Harford
  • IMF
• Advice for her younger self and you!

Other references:

• Erasmus
• CFA
• Cycle Together

We also talk about:

• Finding your passion and knowing when you have found it
• Finding a mentor and getting the most out of the mentoring relationship
• The value of extra-curricular activities at work for growth, development and raising your profile
• The importance of values alignment and happiness in career decision making
• Rejection and the importance of courage, tenacity, resilience and self-belief

So if you’re curious and wondering what a sovereign analyst does or how to a become sovereign analyst or you just want to be inspired – listen or watch and enjoy!
→ Show notes

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