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Want to Master Derivatives?

As part of its wide range of financial education courses about stock exchanges and financial markets, SIX Swiss Exchange offers the two e-learning courses "Derivatives Fundamentals Class" and "Derivatives Master Class". These courses provide in-depth knowledge in the field of derivatives and offer participants the opportunity to earn credit points for two certifications: "Qualified Independent Wealth Manager SAAM" and "SAQ Recertification for Client Advisors". SAQ certification can be extended for a further 3 years with a single course.

 

By Philippe Kayasseh
Senior Education Specialist, SIX Swiss Exchange                  

 

Gain a deep understanding of derivative products.

The past year was extremely difficult for investors due to the geopolitical situation and rising inflation. The uncertainty led to investor restraint. Nevertheless, new opportunities opened up: rising interest rates made trading in capital-protected products attractive again. Compared to 2021, the number of new issues on the SIX Swiss Exchange more than quadrupled. Leverage products were also in greater demand. Both trends contributed to a total of 95,000 new structured products being listed in 2022, which demonstrates that the understanding of structured and derivative products is gaining in importance again.

The Derivatives Master Class is designed for client advisors, financial intermediaries traders, risk managers and investors. We emphasise a balance between trading and investing. The sell-side should understand the buy-side and vice versa. Ultimately, we all have the same goal: to understand the markets better. That also means understanding the market participants better. Our goal is for each participant to have an understanding of all aspects of financial derivatives. What differs is the depth and breadth that each individual needs. Everyone has a different motivation for using financial derivatives. A trader needs to understand exactly how he manages the risk of his positions. An investor needs to understand how derivatives help him to better express his market forecasts. The relationship manager stands in between. He needs to understand whether and how a position fits into the trader's book and what value it adds to the client.

 

What is the Derivative Master Class concept?

The Derivatives Master Class (DMC) is a unique 10-week guided e-learning programme. It consists of seven online modules that can be worked through systematically, at the candidate's own pace. Experienced coaches guide you through the course and answer your questions. The DMC is designed for experienced market participants who trade regularly in the futures and options markets. In this course, participants learn how derivatives are used in different markets and by different client groups and how the risks are modelled, managed and calculated by banks and corporates. In a market that constantly evolving, even professionals need to keep up to date. Even for those who deal with it on a daily basis, new aspects of this challenging market are constantly opening up.

«The course takes into account the experience of traders, risk managers and client advisors from around the world over the last 30 years.»

 

The DMC is based on the famous O'Connor courses, which for a long time were only available to a select group within a major bank. It's quite an exclusive offer. How did it come about?

DMC's roots go back to the early days of modern options trading in the 1980s. At the time, the Chicago-based financial firm O'Connor and Associates was one of the most successful traders of listed derivatives. The derivatives market was still in its infancy. To survive, you had to understand the products, assess the risk and know how to hedge your positions. The company began to train talented people to become highly skilled derivatives traders through a combination of practical trading experience and financial education. The typical student was fresh out of university with a degree in engineering, physics or mathematics - but no specific knowledge of finance. The course designers therefore placed a strong emphasis on a practical understanding of the markets alongside technical knowledge. The course content was seen as proprietary knowledge and therefore an important asset to the company.

Following the acquisition of O'Connor and Associates, the courses became the mainstay of derivatives training at UBS Investment Bank, which ran the Capital Markets Courses in New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Zurich.

 

Are you ready for the Derivatives Master Class?

An online self-test is available to all interested parties, as the DMC assumes a certain basic knowledge of derivatives. The self-test allows potential students to determine where they stand in terms of their knowledge. The quiz is designed to help prospective students decide whether they are ready for the Master Class or whether they should start with our second course, the Derivatives Fundamentals Class (DFC). This e-learning course, which is also accompanied, provides a straightforward but consistent introduction to futures, swaps, options and other derivative instruments and provides an excellent foundation.

Continuous learning and recertification in a simple way

Also good to know: Participation in the courses earns participants credit points for the two certifications "Qualified Independent Wealth Manager SAAM" and "SAQ Recertification for Client Advisors". In particular, attendance at the courses is credited with 30 or 50 hours by SAQ, of which 24 hours are required for the "Certified Wealth Management Advisor CWMA" recertification (in the areas of " industry knowledge " and " rules of conduct "). Thus, with both the "Derivatives Fundamentals Class" and the "Derivatives Master Class", the SAQ certification can be extended by a further 3 years with a single course.

If you are now convinced of the concept of the DFC and the DMC, you will find the DMC self-test and all the information you need here. If you book through www.vsv-asg-training.ch you benefit from a 10% VSV discount. The two courses are held in English.

 

 

Biography

Philippe Kayasseh has been a Senior Education Specialist at SIX Swiss Exchange since May 2016 and is jointly responsible for the range of training courses on the stock exchange. This offering includes trader training in Switzerland and abroad and other financial market courses for the Swiss financial centre. Previously, he worked for UBS AG in Switzerland and internationally in wealth and product management for about 14 years. In addition, he was a training specialist for the UBS Business University and responsible for the client advisor certification programs of the various segments.