About
Chao Zhang, MBA, CFA®, CFP®
Chao Zhang,
MBA, CFA®, CFP®
Chao Zhang is the Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer at Think Different Wealth Advisors LLC, a Dallas-based Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Chao left the hedge fund industry to start Think Different Wealth Advisors because he finds great meaning in helping individuals and families live better financial lives. He has served informally as a financial advisor to his family and friends for over a decade. He is your financial coach, investment guru, master strategist, and friendly guide on your journey to financial freedom.
Having already distinguished himself in finance and investing as a college student, Chao was hired by a prestigious hedge fund into an investment role right out of college. Since then he has accumulated more than ten years of professional investing experience. Most recently, Chao worked for eight years as an equity analyst at hedge fund Nokomis Capital where he made money both buying stocks and shorting stocks. He also has experience investing in fixed income, high yield, levered loans, and derivatives from his time as an associate portfolio manager at Q Investments. He focused on researching international stocks when he was a summer associate at mutual fund company Artisan Partners.
Chao is both a CFA® charterholder and a CFP® professional. The Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ mark represent the gold standards in investment management and financial planning, respectively.
Chao graduated summa cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin with a finance major, accounting minor, and a 4.0 GPA. Again graduating with honors, he received his MBA in 2013 from the U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business. At Berkeley, Chao served as the President of the Haas Investment Club and led a student trip to Omaha where he was able to meet Warren Buffett in person.
When he is not working, Chao enjoys spending time with his son Tony, his daughter Cindy, and his amazing wife Li, who has always been there to support him at every point in his career. Chao loves traveling and going on hikes with his family. His favorite is hiking for three days along the Inca Trail in Peru, culminating in a visit to Machu Pichu as the first rays of the sun illuminated the lost city. Chao also has a life-long passion for martial arts. He is a black belt in Taekwondo and a blue sash in Wing Chun Kung Fu.
Visit Chao’s LinkedIn Profile for more on his background or read more about his financial insights on our Blog page.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the CFP® certification mark, the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification mark, and the CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.
Winston Churchill
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