Financial analysts serve as critical drivers of decision-making processes within investment companies, leveraging their expertise to assess financial data, monitor market trends, and provide strategic guidance to clients, institutional investors, and internal stakeholders. Their role encompasses a wide range of activities, including financial modeling, risk assessment, forecasting, and valuation of assets, all of which contribute to informed investment decisions. As the investment landscape becomes increasingly complex and volatile, the responsibilities of financial analysts have expanded beyond traditional number-crunching to include a deep understanding of macroeconomic indicators, geopolitical developments, and sector-specific dynamics. This review paper synthesizes current academic and industry literature concerning the evolving functions, challenges, and expectations of financial analysts within investment firms. It explores several core themes: the critical skill sets required in today’s dynamic environment—such as analytical thinking, communication, proficiency in financial software, and knowledge of international markets; the impact of technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and algorithmic trading that are reshaping analytical processes; and the ethical dilemmas that arise from conflicts of interest, data manipulation, and regulatory compliance in high-stakes financial environments. Additionally, the paper evaluates performance measurement frameworks used to assess analysts’ effectiveness, including client return on investment (ROI), forecast accuracy, and alignment with fiduciary responsibilities. By integrating perspectives from academic research, industry reports, and practitioner insights, the review identifies key trends and knowledge gaps in the current literature. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research, focusing on developing adaptive training models, improving regulatory frameworks, and enhancing ethical standards to support the resilience and relevance of financial analysts in an era of rapid technological and structural change in global finance.