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This MFin ’18 works on transactions that support Greece’s economic development

April 12, 2019

Photo of the featured studentEarly on, Sofia Chrysochoidou (MFin’18) knew that she couldn’t settle for just any job in finance. She wanted a career where she could make a difference.

“I was always deeply interested in finance, but for me, it was never about just finding a job that would pay the bills. I wanted to use my knowledge to contribute to economic growth where it is most needed,” she explains. “My long-term plan was to work on structuring and executing transactions that could change industry dynamics.”

Today, Chrysochoidou is doing just that as an analyst with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Athens, Greece. Before she got to where she is now, she had to acquire the skills, experience and confidence to do the job well.

She came to Rotman to make it happen.

Filling in the gaps with the Master of Finance program

Chrysochoidou already had substantial training and a strong grasp of finance concepts before starting the 20-month Master of Finance (MFin) program at the Rotman School. In addition to having passed all levels of the CFA program, she had previous experience in credit analysis, portfolio management and structured finance. Still, Chrysochoidou knew she needed a deeper understanding of the material and more hands-on experience to qualify for the positions she was after.


“Have a clear vision of where you want to take your career, and communicate it with confidence.”

—Sofia Chrysochoidou MFin ’18


For her, the MFin program was about building on her existing knowledge and filling in the gaps, and gaining insight on large-scale, corporate transactions.

“The program gave me access to real-world cases, so that I could analyze exactly how those deals were structured and completed,” she says.

She also appreciated that many of her courses were taught by seasoned professionals.

“There was a nice balance of academic and industry perspectives. It was interesting to not only learn the financial theory, but to examine and discuss how these concepts might be applied in the field.”

Exploring new professional opportunities

Midway through the MFin program, Chrysochoidou knew she was ready. Backed with a breadth and depth of knowledge in finance, she started exploring investment banking opportunities in international development.

Three months before graduation, she was offered a banking analyst role at the EBRD, an international financial institution that invests in private sector development to support economic growth in its region of operations, including Europe, Central Asia and Africa.

Today, she is working on diversified project financing for corporates and financial institutions to support Greece’s economic development. There’s no typical work day for Chrysochoidou, who is constantly researching regional companies and sectors, preparing financial models and projections, and working with external stakeholders, including credit risk professionals, economists, lawyers and environmental specialists.

The material covered in the program continues to be top of mind in her current work.

“I often draw on the advanced quantitative and qualitative skills I acquired at Rotman when I’m analyzing corporate financing transactions,” she explains. “The advanced topics from the Investment Banking class gave me a better appreciation of the techniques for conducting meaningful financial analysis, and the Fixed Income Markets course continues to be useful when structuring transactions in project financing.”

What’s the most important thing she’s learned through this entire experience?

“Have a clear vision of where you want to take your career, and communicate it with confidence.”


Written by Rebecca Cheung | More Student Stories »


About
Sofia Chrysochoidou

Class year

MFin ’18


Hometown

Athens, Greece


Industry

Finance/Banking


Current position

Analyst, Banking
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Athens, Greece


Previous employment

Analyst, Securitization

CIBC Capital Markets

Toronto, ON

Manager, Credit Markets Product Control

RBC Capital Markets

Toronto, ON

Analyst, Global Trading Client Management

RBC Capital Markets

Toronto, ON


Previous education

Bachelor of Commerce

McGill University

Montreal, QC


Master
of Finance
Learn more »