By 2018, I’d saved up quite a bit of money (around CHF 450 ~ USD 450) and bought my first stock: Geberit AG. I kept that stock for about three years and sold it for approximately the same price, except I’d lost a lot of money on account fees, netting at best negative CHF 60! So, even though it wasn’t the biggest flop ever, my first experience with investing wasn’t very successful.
I had learned about this stock and why it was probably a sound investment during a short internship at a private bank. I was 16, going on 17, and I was writing my high-school graduation thesis (called Matura in Switzerland) about investing in stocks. In the context of this thesis I analysed multiple companies, created my own hypothetical portfolio and made an introductory course to investing on YouTube called – I give you one guess – CNM Investing (you can still find the videos at https://www.youtube.com/@cnminvesting2641). I stopped making videos because I started my Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, which I have now completed.
Since completing my Bachelor’s degree, I have taken and passed the CFA Level 1 exam in February 2024, where I learned how to make a model with forecasting schedules. I have also continued investing using a strategy I believe suits me best, and while I will not share specific results, I can state that I am quite happy with my portfolio as it is.
Now, I am doing an MSc in Pure Mathematics (as opposed to Applied Mathematics) at Imperial College London. My areas of interest are quite removed from the direct applications of mathematics to finance and AI. The topics I am most passionate about are Algebraic Topology, Algebraic Geometry and Commutative (and non-commutative) Algebra. However, I know already that I will not pursue a career in academia. Somebody navigating this website will surely have understood that a career in finance is the route I am aiming for.
Despite a career in finance, I do not wish to abandon my love for mathematics. Finance, economics, investments, deal-making, corporate finance – I am also passionate about those, and while I would be very happy working in a “normal” role, I believe that I can bring more to the table by leveraging my knowledge of abstract mathematics.
If one dives a bit deeper into the potential applications of my favorite domains of mathematics, one finds some very high-level and all the more relevant connections to finance and AI. Obviously, there are the underlying mathematical techniques (e.g. linear algebra and optimization for machine learning). But I am talking about the applications of very abstract mathematics. For example: Topological Data Analysis (TDA) for the detection of patterns in datasets such as market microstructure or time-series clustering, which bases itself on homology, persistent homology and algebraic topology. Another example is algebraic geometry in optimization and machine learning. The geometry of arbitrage-free regions in derivative pricing models can involve solving systems of polynomial equations, tying to algebraic geometry. Algebraic geometry has been used to study and optimize SVMs (support vector machines) when working in kernel spaces.
To come back to my original point: by leveraging my understanding of abstract mathematics I can
- Understand the underlying mathematical concepts behind AI and finance (especially AI in finance!),
- understand and improve the processes of applying very high-level mathematics to AI and finance,
- maybe one day develop new and innovative tools and processes based on mathematics, for example “Algebraic Structure-Based Optimization for Syndicated Loan Structuring” (this is a bit of spoiler, but it is an idea I am flirting with if I have the time; if I haven’t written anything on this topic and you are reading this page and are interested, send me a message for potential collaboration! or feel free to take that idea and make it yours – the more the merrier!)
So, as I progress and develop my skills, I will update my CNMIT as well as the services offered by CNM Investing. In the meantime, please contact me with any questions or exciting ideas that you might have!
Last but not least, of course, CNM stands for my initials!