Valuable Secrets

Flash Interview with Francisco Antunes

C — Which financial concept fascinates you the most? Why?

FA — The profit, risk & liquidity relation, it’s a basic and easy to understand framework. However, many people fail in its application in everyday cases. It is a system of “communicating vessels" that tends towards balance. That is, to have excess profit it is necessary to assume a lot of risk and/or loss of liquidity, and vice versa.

C — In your opinion, what is the most valuable secret to keep in our business? Why?

FA — Our business is global and transparent. To think there are secrets is an arrogant thought. Companies do not differentiate themselves by what they hide, rather by what they have developed (intangible asset) and what is known by the community.

C — Are financial concepts an occult science or are they within everyone's reach? Exemplify.

FA — Financial concepts have evolved with humanity and improved with each generation. Today the so-called financial “science” has a portfolio of sophisticated techniques, scientifically tested, and treated. They are accessible to any individual. As an example, we have a 5-year-old child who received a euro as a gift from his grandfather and takes it to school and makes the decision to buy a cake during the next break. When recess starts, he reflects and decides to save the coin to buy a toy later.  It's a classic consumption vs investment decision.

C — In your perspective, how should value be measured in our business?

FA — The definition of value is in everyone's head. One possible meaning (but there are others) will be the production of quality work perceived by a given client that obtains value for itself. This value is repaid by this service in the form of profitability for the company, satisfaction for those who appreciate the product, appreciation of this production by the company to the individual.

C — Tell us about the error that you think is tolerable, when we talk about accurate accounts?

FA — Errors are tolerable whenever assumed, mitigated or corrected responsibly.

C — Tell us about the quality you value most in your professional domain? Why?

FA — History shows that those who show initiative and responsibility are favored. The first transforms and advances the world, the second contains the arrogance that comes with success.