CFA Level II

It's been a while since my last post, and so much has happened that I've finally found the time to sit down, reflect, and share this journey.

The biggest milestone of this past year was graduating from NYU Abu Dhabi with a B.A. in Economics.

When I was 17, I left home to study abroad. What many people don't know is that NYU Abu Dhabi was the only university I applied to. Somehow, I just knew it was the place where I was meant to be. I couldn't picture myself anywhere else, and looking back, I'm incredibly grateful that I trusted that feeling.

University became so much more than earning a degree. It was where I learned to adapt to uncertainty, work with people from every corner of the world, challenge my own assumptions, and become comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone. Looking back, it's hard to believe how much those four years shaped the person I am today.

After graduation, I moved to Dubai and had the opportunity to work at an investment fund. One of the things I enjoyed most wasn't analyzing financial statements or building valuation models - although I genuinely enjoyed those too - it was meeting founders. Behind every spreadsheet, financial model, and data room was a story. Every set of numbers represented years of work, difficult decisions, and founders determined to build something meaningful.

Every founder meeting offered a different perspective, every company had a unique story, and every investment opportunity challenged me to think critically about markets, business models, and long-term value creation. It reminded me that investing is ultimately about understanding people just as much as understanding numbers.

The year also brought unexpected challenges. Plans I had carefully built had to change almost overnight because of circumstances completely outside my control. It was a reminder that no matter how carefully we plan, life has a way of rewriting those plans for us.

Despite everything that was happening around me, one thing remained constant - I was preparing for the CFA Level II exam while working full-time in investments.

Unlike Level I, which I prepared for alongside university, this time I had to balance studying with the responsibilities of a full-time role. What surprised me most was how much my professional experience transformed the way I approached the curriculum. Financial statement analysis, valuation techniques, and equity analysis were no longer just textbook material - they had become part of my daily work. Seeing theory come to life through real companies and real investment decisions made the learning process even more rewarding.

I'm incredibly grateful to share that I have officially passed the CFA Level II exam. For me, passing Level II represents not only months of studying, but also a year of applying those concepts in practice.

Looking back, this year taught me far more than finance. It reinforced that growth rarely follows a straight line, that uncertainty often creates unexpected opportunities, and that some of the most valuable lessons come from experiences we never planned for.

I'm excited to see where the next chapter leads.