April 2022

People are often lost when they start their investing journey because of their lack of knowledge in the field. Well, let us tell you, it’s not tough at all. You just need to be well read about it and must know a few tricks on how you can start. One of the main and easiest tools of investment is SIP or Systematic Investment Plan. You can invest in a mutual fund through this method wherein the investment will be made periodically which can be monthly, quarterly, or semi annually depending upon your preference. You can use a mutual fund SIP calculator to find out the returns you may incur on the investment.

Here are a few tips you must know before starting out your investment journey- 

• Start small and early- It’s never too late to start investing. The earlier you start, the more advantages you receive. There is absolutely no need to put all your money in a Systematic Investment Plan and you have the freedom to decide the amount as well as the time period within which your investments need to be made. You just need to invest regularly so that you are able to generate appropriate returns.
• Choose wisely- You have to select the best mutual fund plan to get the best returns. There’s no other way around it. Don’t make your choice based on internet reviews and ratings. Try understanding the minor details of the scheme and learn about it. The best mutual fund scheme can be selected based on its performance, rate of returns, subjective parameters such as the reputation of the fund manager, AUM of fund schemes, how the scheme will perform under stressful periods, etc.
• Long term goal- SIPs are best suited for long term investment. If you’re planning to withdraw your returns within a few years only, don’t go for SIPs. The minimum period for a SIP investment should be 6 or 7 years. This is because the returns that are generated through the investment get collected until the maturity period and thus help you with a proper amount to accomplish your long term goals. Before making the investment, use a SIP calculator to get an idea of what your returns will look like.
• Don’t rush into withdrawal- Looking at the down market condition, you may think of withdrawing your investment. Well, this is one of the mistakes that most beginners make. Don’t withdraw your amount, as it will have a direct impact on your portfolio and will decrease the value of the same. Even if you’re choosing to make systematic withdrawals, make sure that the principal amount is intact and that only the return portion is to be taken out.
• Review the performance- Make sure you keep track of how your funds are performing. Make sure you have used tools such as the SIP return calculator to get an idea of what you will be making. Make sure that your fund is performing up to that mark. If there is any negative performance, you will be exposed to more risk, which is not good for your investment. If it is so, withdraw your amount and invest in any other scheme that is performing well.

Conclusion

The end goal of every investor is to earn the returns. This can only be done if you choose to put your money in the best investment plan. So, learn about different schemes and figure out what works for you. You can take the help of professionals or experts as well.

Marwan Kheireddine knows the importance of the banking sector. Having worked within it for decades, he has wanted to expand offerings for people in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon for many years. He is the chairman and CEO of AM Bank, and has diligently worked to bring credit cards to Lebanon. After coming to New York for an education, and gaining experience with how the US banking system works, he realized there was a completely untapped market in that no Lebanese banks offered credit cards at all.

At that time, in the early 1990s, his father was the AM Bank chairman. Kheireddine began working there, and started his push for credit cards. He reached out to Visa and Mastercard, but AM Bank was small, and the letters he sent were never answered. Fortunately, he had another option. He contacted Michael Milken, who had taught him corporate finance and who was, at the time, vice chairman of Citibank. Milken got him an introduction to the vice president of Mastercard, and AM Bank got its license to offer credit cards.

His father was still very skeptical, but Marwan Kheireddine was undeterred. He purchased an embossing machine and started offering Mastercard through the bank. Slowly, people started applying. After all, it was the only bank in Lebanon where they could get a credit card at all, and it remained that way for the first five years of offering credit cards. Even now, AM Bank still has a higher market share in credit cards than it does in general banking.

Driven by the Importance of Innovation

The most important area of focus for Marwan Kheireddine is innovation. He saw in his studies how offering credit cards saved Citibank, and saw through his own efforts how it caused growth and stability for AM Bank. He introduced cards with no interest charges, cards with higher interest, and cards that required annual fees. He launches options for new cards in just a couple of days, and continues to push for additional offerings that can provide more to customers and create more value for the bank, as well.

Kheireddine also changed the bank’s hours. Most banks at the time opened at 8:30am, and closed at 12:30pm. He started keeping AM Bank locations open until 5pm, and it wasn’t long before other banks in the country started to do the same thing. He was the first to offer digital banking, as well, and has stayed on top of technology and innovation since his very first day working at AM Bank. He has also worked for the Lebanese government, as minister of state, and helped shape the country.

The financial background of Marwan Kheireddine has made it easier for him to understand the complexities that went into the changes he wanted to make with AM Bank. He recognizes not only the value that banks bring to customers, but their importance in day-to-day society. Kheireddine also notices the significance of innovation through technology, as customers are looking for more ways to do things that are convenient. By having digital and technological options, banks can make that easier for their customers.

Kheireddine has an MBA from the Columbia Business School at Columbia University in New York, and is a serial entrepreneur who has created a number of small and medium-sized companies. He has been a board member on the Beirut Stock Exchange, and he is also a founding member of the Young Presidents’ Organization Lebanon chapter. As a board member of the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, he has worked on transparency, social justice, and governance issues.