- - My current focus - -

I recently left my strategy consulting job (April 2020) as the business was starting to struggle BD wise, combining this with a recent hiring spree had resulted in finding myself regurlarly on the bench. With no clear medium term trajectory as to how this could reverse, and being someone who likes to be constantly working hard, I saw this as a necessary time to quit and a good oppurtunity to vastly upskill myself and determine my long term focus for the future.
After alot of contemplation and time thinking about which parts of my career I have enjoyed the most, the things that kept sticking out were modelling commercial scenarios, coding and investment analysis. Working at The Directline Group I could happily spend hours after work improving my pricing algorithmn just for the pure problem solving fun; at NMG I could easily become stuck to my screen optimising my distribution strategy models for clients and finally; at Channel, I had deeply enjoyed my time focusing on asset risk, investment portfolio analysis and understanding captial optimisation . I thought it was therfore time to change my mindset and focus on fulfilling these interests instead of keeping up with the rat race.

Short term objectives:

• Pursue coding / asset/ reinsurance focused actuarial positions - (Market risk, hedging, ALM, quant roles, pricing development, reinsurance broking)
• Focus on enhancing my python and R skills until I can carry out current industry standard financial analysis techniques - aim to upload regular projects of my work to showcase ability
• Study for CFA level 2 which I intend to sit in Decemeber
• Study for CM1 and CS2 of the acturial exams which I intend to sit in September
• Grow property investment knowledge

Coding - Python

Python experience and focus

Complex analysis workflows and visualisation. Database manipulation, API interaction, machine learning workflows. Back testing and implementation of ML trading algorithms with risk management metrics. Monte Carlo simulation of derivatives through object orientated programming created in financial environments
My current focus thus far has been to get up speed with all python functionality I believed would be relevant to a financial position and then to focus more heavily on finance specific topics: Monte carlo simulation, derivatives and financial analysis and algorithmic trading with Machine learning strategies

Books and resources covered so far

• over > 150 hours of structured learning with DataCamp, finishing Datacamps DataCamp Python for DataScience and Python Programmar courses as well as other focused topics
• Powerful Object Orientated Coding in Python - Programming Python - O Reilly
• Fluent Python - O Reilly (still underway)
• Python for Finance - O Reilly

Future books to be covered

• Advanced Algorithmic Trading Strategies - QuantNet

Coding - R, SAS and other languages

• R - studying R currently as part of the acturial CS2 exam including transition probabilities, mortality projections, vectors, risk modelling and machine learning
• SAS - Ownership and development of an insurance pricing algorithm with 40+ pricing factors. Relational database queries, renewal and pricing alogritmn logic writing with General linear modelling factor maintenance and implementation.
• VBA - Used adhoc throughout career, recording and manipulating macros, web/data scraping
• HTML - Creating this website and webscraping through python

Proffesional Qualifications - Actuarial

Over my actuarial time I had passed 5 of the 8 Core technical actuarial exams: ct1, ct2, ct3, ct7 and ct8. Due to my new found time I have decided to capitalise and to push on to becoming chartered. I have just finished sitting CM1 and CS2 under the new syllabus (the equivalent of the old ct1, ct4, ct5 and ct6) which I am am confident I put in a very strong performance so hopefully come December I'll be able to see the finish line.

Proffesional Qualifications - CFA

Having really enjoyed the investment and economics modules of the actuarial exams and the asset risk focussed work I was undetarking at channel. I decided whilst at Channel to park the actuarial exams for a while and focus on my new found interest and take the CFA. I have passed level 1 and I am currently studying towards level 2 in Decemeber as unfortunately my plans to sit this June were disrupted with covid 19.