“Faces” is a component of the Financial Centre Focus (FCF) initiative coordinated by BFSB and the Professional Industry Association Working Group to profile role models within the financial services sector. It is produced in collaboration with Guardian Business, with profiles appearing in the Monday edition of the Nassau Guardian each week.(Note: Column previously ran on Thursdays)
Snapshot
NAME: Charlene Lewis-Small
INDUSTRY POSITION: Associate Director, KPMG Corporate Finance
EDUCATION & TRAINING: Queen’s College, AA Banking & French (College of The Bahamas), BA Financial and Economic Studies (University of Western Ontario), MBA Finance & Global Business, Latin American Track (University of Texas at Austin), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder, various professional development programs
CAREER: Financial Analyst
FOREIGN LANGUAGES: Spanish (lifelong student)
PERSONAL: Married to Byron Small
What attracted you to the sector?
After graduating high school, I was initially a Communications and French major at COB. While I enjoyed French, I didn’t really have a good idea of what career I wanted to pursue. About one year into my program, COB introduced a degree in Banking and French and I decided to switch because I wanted a way to combine my interest in languages, numbers and writing. I was pretty ok at accounting but knew I didn’t want to follow that path so I was fortunate to be introduced to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation early on. It seemed like a good way to develop a broad base in finance, economics and financial/investment analysis which were all useful for developing a financial services career. By the time I graduated from COB, I was focused on getting through the CFA exams.
How long have you been involved in financial services?
I’ve been involved in financial services since 1995 when I finished my Bachelors degree. I worked with different international banks before joining a Citigroup subsidiary for 3 years. It was there that I “fell” into learning Spanish which my background in French helped me pick up more easily. After that, I moved over to KPMG Corporate Finance primarily because I needed the requisite professional experience to be awarded the CFA charter. (I’d passed the exams while working at Citi.) Our group provides valuations, mergers & acquisitions and financing services across the Caribbean. My focus is on the real estate, hospitality and government/infrastructure sectors. I am now headed for 10 years with KPMG including a short term transfer to the San Diego Real Estate Valuations group.
What keeps you motivated?
I enjoy my work. It offers a lot of variety in terms of day to day responsibilities and frequently challenges me to learn something new. I’ve been given the opportunity to develop my portfolio into areas that are of interest to me. I work on everything, from research to modeling, valuations, financial analysis and report writing to client/project management, staff management and marketing/business development. My client, projects and work teams are local, regional and global which makes navigating cultural differences interesting and provides for travel opportunities which I also enjoy.
Why do you think you have been successful?
I think there are several reasons for my career advancement. Firstly, I was blessed to pass all the exams for my primary professional certification (CFA) in the minimum timeframe and while I was quite young. That allowed me to take advantage of other opportunities that arose later on without having to worry about how I was going to juggle studying for exams.
Secondly, I always try to keep learning, both professionally and personally. Career-wise, I think it’s important to keep building your skill set. Whether it be through qualifying exams, on the job training or other forms of professional development, you must find time to develop your core skills. Those of us working in financial services need to realize that the industry is dynamic and that we have to keep our technical toolkit up to date. A few years ago, I decided to leave the workforce and enter a fulltime MBA program to address a gap in my skills. It certainly was daunting at the time but I since realized that it was the beginning of my most significant professional and personal growth to date.
Early on in my career, I also spent 6 weeks studying Spanish in Mexico in between changing jobs. The key, I believe, is to not only make the most of the training opportunities provided by your employer, but also be willing to invest in yourself. Thirdly, I believe it’s very important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. People need time to spend quality time with family and friends and to develop outside interests so that they are better equipped mentally to perform in the workplace which is often stressful. Lastly, my nuclear family (husband Byron, parents Ruth & Charles Lewis and brother Lawrence Lewis) have been rock solid in supporting my academic, professional and personal efforts. Special kudos go to Byron who gets the short end of the stick when I’m pushing to meet deadlines.
Did mentoring play a part in your success?
Mentoring was hugely important to me. As my COB lecturer/advisor and the first Bahamian CFA charterholder, Eve Poitier helped me obtain a scholarship to complete my bachelors degree and channeled me towards the CFA program. Without her encouragement and guidance, I’m not sure what path I would have taken. Even today, she continues to be an influencing factor by steering me towards teaching. Though it’s part time, this aligns with my childhood interest where I spent many hours “teaching” both my brother and my dolls…!
What qualifications do you feel are the most useful in helping you perform in the sector?
As noted above, I think the primary professional designation was that of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). The Institute sets the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence.
Why is it important to encourage our youth to think of careers within financial services?
Given that this industry is the second pillar of our economy, it needs a balance of new blood and seasoned practitioners in order to thrive and compete globally. Also, many of the skills developed through a career in financial services are transferable to other industries which allows for a variety of career options. Furthermore, the industry offers opportunities for international exposure which would be beneficial (at any age).
Are there specific suggestions they have for sustaining and/or growing the financial services sector?
We need to stay ahead of the curve in terms of providing outstanding client service (quality and cost), meeting demand for products and services, enhancing our legislative and regulatory framework and investing in human capital (attracting and retaining bright Bahamian minds).