#ABITinterview: Meet Nikola Jordanоv, Senior Credit Analyst at Sparkasse Bank AD Skopje and part of our portfolio of #SuccessStories from the Academy for “Credit Analysis and Risk Management”
- Can we learn something more about you and your career path?
I am Nikola Jordanov, an employee of Sparkasse Bank AD Skopje in the Department for Corporate Clients in the Credit Analysis department, with 7 (seven) years of work experience in the banking sector. (Before the integration of Šparkasse Banka AD Skopje, employed in Ohridska Banka AD Skopje) I am currently in a working position – independent sales support associate (credit analyst), i.e. detailed analysis of small, medium, large and international corporate clients.
I graduated and got my master’s degree at the American College University – Skopje, at the Faculty of Business Economics and Organizational Sciences, majoring in Finance and Banking.
Additionally, the completed specialized programs of the Academy of Banking and Information Technology, for Credit Analysis and Credit Risk and 1(first) level of specialization in Accounting, have a significant contribution to the career development at Sparkase Bank AD Skopje, especially in the analysis of financial statements and assessment of all types of risks.
- How did you come up with the idea to enrol in the “Credit Analyst and Risk Manager” Academy?
Initially, I researched whether there are additional trainings and courses that will help me improve in the area of customer analysis and understanding credit risks. That is, I needed further improvement, a step higher that would contribute to the development and an upward trend in my career. Since I learned about the ABIT Academy from the very beginning and the program that was offered in the specialization, I enrolled in order to increase and improve my knowledge in this field. The dedication of the lecturers from the specialized program further contributed to solving and clarifying all the problems in the area of lending and the risks that arise. The lecturers are from renowned financial institutions, from whom one can learn a lot of new things in the field of analysis and crediting of clients and all types of risks. At first it seemed hard because the lectures were after working hours, but the knowledge gained from attending the lectures is invaluable, that is, it helps significantly in daily work activities when analyzing different situations.
- How much did the training help you in what you do today?
The completion of this specialized program has a great and significant contribution, especially in the area of development of additional skills that are needed in the daily analysis of customer credit. The analysis of a client (legal entity) is a large and detailed process that requires detailed research and analysis in order to make the right credit decision and avoid unwanted negative effects. Particularly significant is the contribution to the analysis of the client’s business operations and the market environment, analysis of financial performance and the capacity to service obligations in order to properly assess the credit risk. Also, the program additionally contributes to the correct evaluation of the offered collateral by the customers, as well as effective coverage of the collateral. All these steps are an integral part of the credit analysis and credit risk process.
- Finally, what would you recommend to future students of the Certified Risk Manager and Credit Analyst – CRM & CA program?
The CRM & CA program will greatly help all future students to study and understand the entire loan process in detail. The experience they will get from the lecturers as well as the mutual communication with the participants in the program is particularly significant. It is not about classic lectures where most of the time every listener wants to avoid the theoretical part. At ABIT, the lectures are organized as team building with the active involvement of all the students of the program in solving and analyzing real situations with clients, which will additionally enable future students, greater development and self-confidence in the area of lending to clients, by detecting all types of risks as well as analysis of financial statements.
And finally, as I mentioned before, the lecturers of the program are real professionals, open to cooperation, motivators and completely focused on development, who want to pass on their knowledge to the students who follow the program! My recommendation for all future students is to be determined, to believe in themselves and if they need to upgrade their knowledge, to enrol in this specialization. I will especially recommend the program to those who currently have a job position in credit risk, credit analysis, or are students who want to expand their knowledge in this area.
