A Financial Economist is an analyst tasked with formulating the plans that would help companies or organizations solve any economic problems, enhance performance and manage opportunities available on the financial market.

The Job Responsibilities of a Financial Economist span a wide array of duties and depend on the subfield of Financial Economics:

• Financial analysis: providing cost estimates of projects or companies; acting as consulting agents for customers or CEOs regarding M&A deals; corporate performance optimization
• Investment analysis: financial instruments cost analysis (shares, bonds, etc.); developing structured financial instruments; financial trading
• Macroeconomic analysis: analyzing microeconomic environments in different countries; forecasting economic growth; designing tools for microeconomic policy (for the Central Bank);
• Financial sales: counselling clients on depositing funds into financial instruments or conventional banking products; designing strategies for overall corporate growth or achieving particular economic targets (in-house or outside consultancy).

The educational qualification required for the position of a Financial Economist is the fundamental training in Micro- and Macroeconomics. Financial Economists are expected to be proficient users of mathematical methods and econometric techniques.

Key Skills and Proficiencies of a Financial Economist:

• Expert knowledge of Macro- and Microeconomics
• Basic knowledge about Corporate Finance
• Ability to build corporate financial models
• Expert knowledge of financial instruments market
• Basic knowledge about investment portfolio design;
• Understanding of financial instruments price formation and ability to predict their cost
• Excellent English language skills
  
  

Since the job of a Financial Economist involves not only analyzing the economic data and financial performance, but also interpersonal communication (and dealing with top managers of large companies), a highly performing Financial Economist should be a skillful negotiator and a good team worker.

The expansion of the regional and global markets, the IT-based management of the field of Finance (through cryptofinance markets, among others), and the emergence of new financial instruments make the job even more lucrative and highly sought-after.

ICEF graduates land jobs at:

•         Investment and commercial banks

•         Investment funds

•         Stock exchange and brokerage houses

•         Finance units of manufacturing companies

•         Consulting companies

•         Central banks

•         Rating agencies

•         Training and research services providers