Hoang Ba Tran
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Vietcap Securities
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
I went back to my home country, Vietnam, and started working while expanding my network in the finance field for my long-term career path. I also took the CFA Level 1 exam and passed it in August 2024. Currently, I am studying and planning to register for the Level 2 exam at the end of this year. I believe that Vietnam will become a financial hub in the region, and I am preparing myself to be ready for it.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, but its financial system is still not well developed. The stock exchange was only established in 2000, making it just 25 years old. This is the biggest factor that motivates me to choose finance as my career path.
What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?
The curriculum is closely aligned with practical applications and always includes highly practical exercises and assignments.
What did you most enjoy about studying here?
The school facilities are excellent and fully equipped to facilitate effective learning. In addition, there is a department that takes care of non-academic issues such as mental health and finances, which makes me feel truly effective and sympathetic, helping my academic results to exceed expectations.
Why did you choose to study at Exeter?
Exeter has the Business School, in which the majors are among the top in the UK. In addition, I chose Exeter because it is in the province, which allows me to study more focused and effectively than when I studied in London for 3 years of university. Moreover, compared to other provinces, Exeter is not too boring, a good balance for studying and experiencing local culture.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
Time management skills are probably the thing I learned the most during the course and apply to my career as well as my life. As the study time is quite fast, the curriculum is also heavy, so I really have to arrange and balance my time most effectively throughout the process to get good results.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
If you are passionate about the investment field, you should learn about the CFA program before joining the course, because in my opinion, the master’s program at Exeter has similarities in terms of foundation, although there will be deeper and more academic sections, but it will help you save a lot of time to catch up with foundation knowledge. In addition, you should proactively learn about practical economic knowledge in society, such as how money works (through the central bank, commercial banks, and businesses and people using them), because in my opinion, money is the foundation of finance, in which there are 2 core concepts: interest rates and inflation.
What are your plans for the future?
In the next 5 years I want to finish all 3 level of CFA and want to be a portfolio manager for a foreign fund investing in Vietnam.
