YFS 2014 winners eager to share knowledge

Winners in the “12th Young Financial Star Competition 2014” (YFS 2014) said the knowledge gained from the contest had helped create a passion among them to pursue financial careers and manage financial disciplines, and to share their expertise with others.

YFS 2014 – jointly held by the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Muang Thai Life Assurance, PTT and Kasikornbank from June to September – aimed to promote knowledge and understanding in financial planning for youths by studying and competing in a range of intensive and challenging scenarios in finance and investment. 

There were five categories of competition: SET Investment Star, K-Expert Star, TFEX Derivatives Star, Muang Thai Insurance Star and PTT CSR Star Team. 

The contest included course training, written examination, submitted financial investment plan for each of the five categories, and finally on-stage competition.

Hathairat Wetpanyawong, 21, a winner in the PTT CSR Star Team category, said that before joining the competition, she knew relatively little about the financial field but wanted to work in this type of career.

“I used to think I should run my own business because I didn’t have enough financial knowledge to work for financiers. Yet, I have gained more passion [about a financial career] from this competition, which has made me realise that being financier doesn’t necessarily mean having to be a banker. 

“I can be a financial adviser to people who require guidance from an expert,” said the fourth-year student from Chulalongkorn University.

Hathairat also chose to contest in the K-Expert Star category as she hoped to gain knowledge in financial planning, with the programme providing insights in aspects of investment such as insurance.

While insurance is a basic investment instrument for individuals, this type of product is not normally their first choice of investment, she said. She added that YFS 2014 had helped her to develop a definite goal of creating a solid base for life, as well as sharing what she had learned from the programme with fellow youths so that they too could attain their own financial goals without necessarily being from well-off backgrounds, as long as they engage in careful financial planning.

   The student said she might work as a financial adviser, whereas previously her ambition was to follow a career in investment banking. 

YFS seniors from previous editions of the contest who now work in investment banking recently shared with Hathairat and YFS juniors their view that having the right work-life balance is one key factor to successfully working in the financial field.

Hathairath, who will encourage other students to join the competition in the future, next plans to take a master’s degree in finance.

Meanwhile, a YFS 2014 winner in the Stock Exchange of Thailand Investment Star category, Chatchai Ngamvipas, 22, said: “What I learned from YFS will be shared with others in order to help them have the right attitude in financial and investment. I have received many useful things from this competition, and I should be a giver [of advice] for the next generation,” he said. 

Chatchai is a retail investor in the stock market, and therefore familiar with the capital market, but YFS has taught him about other forms of investment, including insurance and non-financial corporate social responsibility, which is an important part of business nowadays.

He hopes to work at the Bank of Thailand, which he said could benefit the public in terms of providing guidance on risk-management principles and practice.

Besides Hathairat and Chatchai, there were 14 other YFS winners in this year’s edition of the competition.