Headed to Germany - MBA/CFA/CPA?

I am headed to Germany to work for a bank (Back office finance/accounting), but wanted to see what the overall advice would be with the options that I am considering. I am 26yo, have a few years of Controller experience under my belt (Graduated from a non-target with my Bach in Finance), but am pursuing some other options when I get settled in. 

I was originally considering getting my Masters in Accounting, and then sitting for the CPA, but I do not want to continue on with my track in accounting quite honestly. I have worked my whole career thus far in accounting, and would love to move over to the finance side of things (probably IB or AM). I was also considering getting my MBA from a University in Germany, but then heard from some people that MBA's don't really matter in Germany as they do in the US? Not sure if this is true. 

And what I really was going to focus on would be sitting and obtaining my CFA charter. No further school required, obviously a ton of studying and work to get there, but could be the best option?

What are your overall thoughts of maybe a MBA, or Masters in Finance maybe? Or should I just skip all of that, and get my CFA? (End goal is spend a bit of time in Germany, then come back to the States). I've seen that WHU or Mannheim would be my go to, or Frankfurt School of Finance (since I'll be living in Frankfurt).

Or, do an online MBA or Masters of Finance with Michigan Ross, UNC Chapel Hill or University of Florida? I saw they have top 5 online MBA programs. 

Like I said - I'll at least have my foot in the door with the job I am going into, hopefully making less painful to transition more-so into the deal side of things. I have heavy experience on the deal side of REPE as well. 

Thanks!

3 Comments
 

MBAs are indeed completely irrelevant in Europe. Masters are much more common and valued 

 

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