Dare to follow your passion. Where does it lead you? Probably to a road of achievements like that of Igor Cornelsen.
Where did it all start for the Brazilian born and established investment advisor? At the school of engineering in the Federal University of Parana. Being the only engineering school in the state of Parana, it had been a rigorous and competitive admission. But again the heart’s drive came in.
Two years of studying engineering are all that the investor needed to figure out that he wanted to study economics. Unfortunately, Igor Cornelsen dropped out of school.
Upon graduation in 1970, he found a place to put his skills to work. An investment bank which had not yet had the light of calculators and computers, needed him to calculate compounded interest with nothing to help but sliding rules.
“The idea of my business is a consequence of my experience as an investment banker,” he said. This just started shortly after his graduation in 1971 where he picked up this line of work. His passion helped him to shoot through the ranks quickly and by 1974, he was dining as a board member of Multibanco.
Two years later, he was crowned its CEO. He later left when it was acquired by the Bank of America.This got more interesting when joined Libra Bank PLC, a London Merchant Bank, receiving his salary in dollars, opening more investment opportunities.
“I try not to be influenced by other analysts or professors. I believe it is better to make my mind with facts rather than opinions”. Igor Cornelsen’s mind was eventually made in 1995 when he stepped down from the board of the Standard Chartered Merchant Bank after seven years to start his own firm.
With no definite strategy for him and especially in this market but finding before others when assets have depreciated, his success can be attributed to the information he gets from Reuters which he believes is not bias and delivers credible information.
Success always backed by failure, Igor Cornelsen would be when he closed all his position instead of selling in 2007.