Get to know us: Mark Puh, cross-border trader
In the Get to know us section, we introduce you to our people - who they are, what they do and what working at GEN-I means to them.
What is the best/most exciting part of your day at GEN-I?
The most exciting part of the day is definitely opening and managing new positions. Trading is one of the few practices where the validation of your work is immediate. Every second, you can monitor your profit & loss and, therefore, the profitability of your decisions. As the amounts fluctuate daily up to six or seven decimal places, so does the fluctuation of emotions. Trading is a constant challenge that you have to adapt to every day.
How would you describe the atmosphere in your office?
The atmosphere on our trading floor is definitely different from other departments at GEN-I. It depends on the day and the market conditions - there are days when everything is calm and quiet as well as days when there is a lot of action.
This year, you participated as a lecturer in the internal Trading Challenge programme. Can you tell us more about it?
The internal Trading Challenge was a two-month programme for our employees to develop as individuals and test their way of thinking and trading. As a lecturer, I presented the psychology of the market to the participants.
This year, we are extending our internal programme and inviting anyone who would like to try their hand at energy trading with one of Europe's largest traders. The programme will teach you the basic principles of trading, how to set strategies and how to think about what's happening in the market. If you are motivated to trade, have traded before, know the basics and like to keep an eye on the market and follow global news, this is a great opportunity to learn more about trading and about us as traders.
What three characteristics do you think best describe a trader and why?
I would say that a good trader is characterized by persistence, a probabilistic mindset, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. Trading is a constant challenge that needs to be adapted to on a daily basis. The wealth of information we receive must be processed quickly, and we must make probabilistic judgments about how to respond to it. The key to success is to quickly analyze the data, develop an appropriate strategy - with a view to maximizing the risk/loss ratio - and execute it. I am primarily referring here to the alignment of a plan and strategy and, last but not least, to the closure of unprofitable positions. The ability to admit that you have made a mistake and to rationally reassess the situation is, in my opinion, the key to profitable trading.
