The Masterclass speaker series is back by popular demand, aiming to help students get the real truth behind different careers in finance.

To mark the occasion I hosted an incredible guest, Alfonso Peccatiello.

Alf is the author of The Macro Compass and was previously the Head of Investment Portfolio for the Treasury department of ING Germany. There, he was in charge of the active management of a $20bn multi-asset portfolio.

In the session, Alf talks about how he first got interested in finance, how what he learned at university was useful in shaping his view on markets, and the realities of working as a portfolio manager in a large financial institution.

More than this, Alf gives a personal and honest account of his greatest strengths and weaknesses and offers practical advice on how to communicate better, remain humble, and always strive to move forward by being passionate about what you do.

- Introduction (00:00)
- Alfonso's background and how he got interested in finance (2:03)
- Experience at University and lessons learned (5:41)
- How I got my job at ING and journey to managing a portfolio (9:39)
- Why enjoying what you do is the most important thing (13:06)
- The day in the life of a portfolio manager (15:47)
- Learning to be diplomatic (18:16)
- Manging a $20bln portfolio and why I decided to leave (21:09)
- Where to find useful information & how to manage your time (27:30)
- How to manage your expectations (30:26)
- Common traits of the most successful people (35:14)
- How I found my area of specialism (37:16)
- Thoughts on web 3.0 and crypto in portfolios (38:47)
- Why having a mentor is really important (43:31)
- Top 5 books you MUST read (46:46)

Alf's book recommendations:

Central Banking 101: https://amzn.to/3u2iHc7
Pragmatic Capitalism: https://amzn.to/34a5mU7
Balance Sheet Recession: https://amzn.to/3IHjcw7
The Holy Grail Of Macro Economics: https://amzn.to/3IC2oGS
The New Economics: https://amzn.to/33WMYyn

Sign up to Alf's Macro Compass newsletter https://themacrocompass.substack.com/

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Social Media handles:

►Twitter: @amplifytrading @AWMCheung @MacroAlf
►Instagram: @amplifyme @amplify_ant