At the beginning of the 21st century, the global leadership style has often been characterized by hierarchical structures, when all the decisions are taken by the owner and are imposed on the layer below. However, in today’s corporate culture, it is important to build an atmosphere of collaborative work relations along with proper relations with layers below. Vijay Valecha, Chief Investment Officer at Century Financial is a distinguished leader who has expertise in asset management and derivative trading.
He’s been cherished for his 17 years of expertise in global market investments with command over fundamental and technical analysis. Beyond trading, he’s an advocate for prudent money management. Vijay’s financial acumen is regularly sought in prime time slots by CNBC Arabia, Bloomberg, and AGBI.
Maximizing Investment opportunities with Sound Risk Management
Vijay Valecha studied engineering at Mumbai University and earned an MBA in Asset Management from ISBM. He also has an FRM (Financial Risk Manager) Certification making him a well-rounded investment and financial professional. His vibrant education and extensive experience help him to guide investors on prudent investing based on technical and fundamental analysis supported by a focused risk management approach. According to him, handling risk is the utmost important thing when it comes to the domain of investment and trading. No matter how good a strategy, stock, or investment idea is, things will likely go haywire during drawdown times if there is no sound risk management framework.
Being the Chief Investment Officer at Century Financial, Vijay Valecha is responsible for creating bespoke market investment strategies and product pitches for clientele. It includes adapting a tailored investment approach, as each client has a unique requirement. The role also involves working closely with company management to manage the overall risk profile and meet the client’s investment potential requirements. Vijay’s team uses tools and resources to balance the client’s risk and return profile. Moreover, he manages a team of 50 + client relationship managers and elite/priority sales RM’s.
Finding Opportunities in Crisis
Mr. Bal Krishen, Chief Executive Officer of Century Financial is the guiding light and a true role model for Vijay. Mr Bala’s elevation from working as an investment research analyst to the company’s CEO has inspired many in Dubai’s financial sector. Dubai is often known as the place where only luck stories have been heard. Mr Bala’s life and experience taught everyone the importance of hard work, dedication, and what it takes to stay true to the goals in life. Vijay Valecha has looked upon Mr. Bala’s advice and suggestions to overcome his professional work obstacles.
In his career, Vijay Valecha experienced the aha moment during the great recession of 2008. The entire global investment world got rattled due to the housing crisis in one country. He was curious to understand and see how this happened analysing the historical investment cycle that led to this crisis. Vijay says, “The excellent part about entering the markets in such cycles is that you have already seen the worst of the lot. Experiencing and analyzing adverse scenarios from the start gives you a better edge than others.”
“Warren Buffet famously said – Only when the tide goes out do you learn who has been swimming naked,” he adds. In a bull market, everything rallies on almost any news report. In a bear market, picking up the real winners is the primary skill one must master.
Perspective on Failure and Growth
As a successful and visionary leader, it is important to learn from past mistakes and never repeat them. According to Vijay, failures and setbacks act as a critical tool to improve the personality. In the corporate culture, this value is core to the staff culture and business DNA. Vijay understands that failure and setbacks are integral parts of business outcomes. When things go well, success often overshadows any challenges, fostering a sense of triumph. However, Vijay Valecha believes that failures and setbacks offer valuable opportunities for reflection, analysis, and growth.
Vijay Valecha emphasizes the importance of not remaining stagnant but instead evolving from setbacks to maintain progress. Through his experiences, Vijay has learned crucial leadership lessons. He stresses the significance of intuition and objectivity, involving the right individuals, balancing empathy with business objectives, and creating opportunities for all stakeholders, including employees.
Three Decades of Excellence
Established in 1989, Century Financial was one of the pioneers in introducing global investment in the region. Over the decades, it has always adopted best practices and industry standards to cater to the current market requirements. The company offers more than 35,000 products spread across many market asset classes which includes equities, bonds, commodities, structured products, and indices. Furthermore, it provides services across CFDs, private banking, and exchange platforms globally. Worldwide investment thesis and timely market ideas back product recommendations and advice of the company.
For more than three decades, Century Financial has strived to make investing in global financial markets easy and accessible for local and expatriate clients in the UAE. The company has been an undisputed leader in providing excellent client services and an array of trading instruments across various asset classes. The company focuses on empowering investors so they are better equipped to manage their investment portfolios. This has helped it win client’s trust as a regional leader in global financial market investments. For more than 35 years, UAE investors have continued to choose Century Financial, a multiple award-winning financial service company, as its top choice.
| Client trust and value addition are at the core of the business philosophy of Century Financial. The company supports the best value-added and unique solutions to the client’s investment requirements. The following factors differentiate it from others: Constant Innovation: Adapting to the current market standards and client requirements. Loyalty & Trust: The world of financial services is often based on trust and transparency between service providers and the end customer. Staying trustworthy and loyal to the client’s investment requirements is the priority. Feedback & Synergism: Creating a supportive relationship often requires listening to the other side. In today’s competitive world, listening to clients’ advice and suggestions with utmost humility is essential for any business to survive. |
Quest for Work-Life Harmony and Adventure
With changing business dynamics, global leaders will be facing new challenges in the upcoming years. Vijay Valecha highlights several significant aspects, such as remaining adaptable and current, adopting a comprehensive perspective by being personally invested, and consistently engaging stakeholders in the broader context. In terms of opportunities, the current era is characterized by disruptive technologies that challenge conventional business models with innovative startup concepts unbound to legacy traditions. While presenting a challenge, this dynamic also offers existing players the chance to proactively position themselves at the forefront of transformative shifts, thus maintaining a competitive edge.
Perfect work-life balance is an important part of Vijay’s life. Traveling and adventure are his main hobbies that keep him more focused in his professional life. Being a natural risk taker, he tries to ensure that during his free time, he can explore more places, travel to diverse continents, and engage in adventure sports.
| Vijay shares the following piece of advice to upcoming leaders who want to make a mark in their respective industries: Find your passion and purpose and work in the combo of hard + clever work. Accepting failures as a regular obstacle will help you improve and embrace the solution positively. There must be a sense of humility and accountability to all the people associated with the project. The actual fruits of success will only be reaped once you understand what you have achieved and how you have achieved it. |
