Editorial companion

What stands out

Som Seif tells a story that's both a career map and a how-to for product-driven finance. He walks from engineering into investment banking, recounts an early push into exchange traded funds (ETFs) in Canada, and name-checks the creation of the first bitcoin ETF, all while emphasizing endurance over flash. For investors this is useful because it peels back the glamour: innovation in financial products is often less about genius than about persistence, distribution, regulatory patience, and timing (and Bloomberg's interview moment captures that grind).