An MBA is better than a CFA if you want to make MD in banking

both are easy, so which are challenging in your opinion?

I have an MBA and have also completed the CFA Program. In my opinion, the two complement each other but offer very little overlap. The CFA Program is considered 'generalist' but would certainly be a special focus within an MBA. In comparison, an MBA spends a great deal of time covering marketing, management, operations, and IT as well as finance, accounting, and economics. The intent of an MBA program is to prepare future managers to be able to communicate with, and understand, the various department leaders within an organization while the CFA Program is designed to prepare individuals for roles in investments. It makes sense to me that a Managing Director would have value for an MBA given that s/he is running an organization and needs to be well versed in management, marketing, and operations.

As for difficulty - my opinion is the CFA Program is more rigorous while an MBA covers more breadth of material. And neither offers any value unless you get an opportunity to apply what you've learned.

I just want to address one thing when you say. Naturally, there are caveats – 'CFA' could simply mean that someone has studied CFA Level I, rather than completing the full CFA Charter.

That is actually wrong. you need to check your facts. One cannot simply put CFA at the end of their name and it becomes ambiguous. The only was you can became a fully fledged CFA is if you've done all three levels and completed the required related financial work experience!

guys, banking is not rocket science.. everyday they do the same stuff like pieshop.. so take it easy mate

@stupid conclusion - I disagree with your position.

Although it might sound correct to posit that investment banking attracts more MBA holders, it's important to realize that the fact that more people have an MBA does not immediately imply they go into banking - unless there is a study to back this, which I'll be happy to see.

Okay, okay, let's assume it's true that investment banking attracts more MBA holders relative to each of the other available sectors. Does this in any way imply that there are more MBA holders in investment banking than there are CFAs (students and full charter holders)? Not necessarily!

The truth of the matter is that there are very many places that MBA holders can work besides investment banking. For all you know, the number of MBA holders entering investment banking in a given year 'could' well equate the number of CFAs entering investment banking. I'd only agree this scenario is impossible if figures of MBA holders and CFAs in banking are provided.

That said, I agree that the article would require more information to support conclusion reached. This notwithstanding, the conclusion reached is far from stupid, given the available information.