Financier

For the French pastry, see Financier (pastry).

Financier ( /fɪnənˈsɪər/; French: [finɑ̃ˈsje]) is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment.

A financier today can be someone who makes their living from investments, particularly in investing in up and coming companies and businesses. A financier makes money through this process when his or her investment is paid back with interest or from a certain percentage of the company awarded to them as specified by the business deal.

Job prerequisites

Officially, there are no degrees or schooling needed to be called a financier as it is a term to describe someone who handles money. Certain financier avenues do require degrees and licenses including venture capitalists, stockbrokers, public treasurers, trust fund managers, and accountants. Investing, on the other hand, has no requirements and is open to all by means of the stock market or by word of mouth requests for money.

Venture capitalists, private equity firms, and hedge fund managers are example of financiers that do not require a license or education attainment. Persons managing funds of high net worth individuals in private partnerships are not regulated - these are typically what is referred to as "hedge funds". Managers of regulated mutual funds, broker-dealers (investment banks), registered investment advisers, brokers and brokerages, and futures commodity merchants all require a form of licensure (such as NASD Series 27) in order to hold themselves out for business; but in these cases attainment of a college degree is not required.

Certified Public Accountants attain their status by passing the uniform CPA Exam, which is authored by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and administered by the state boards of CPAs in each of the 50 states. CPAs are not financiers by definition. They are public accountants and auditors. CPA status does not preclude acting in the role of a financier.

The term financier can also refer to a member of the Italian Guardia di Finanza.

Types of financiers

• Investor/High net worth individual
• Trust Fund Manager
• Venture Capitalist

Notable financiers

• Warren Buffett
• Anthony J. Drexel
• Calouste Gulbenkian
• Kirk Kerkorian
• J. P. Morgan
• T. Boone Pickens
• Nathan Mayer Rothschild
• Rothschild banking family of France
• George Soros
• Ruben Vardanian
• Rodrigo Aguirre Menezes

See also

• Business magnate
• Philanthropy
• Usury

Further reading

• Josephson, Matthew, The Money Lords; the great finance capitalists, 1925-1950, New York, Weybright and Talley, 1972.