THE GLOBAL ASSOCIATION OF INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS SETTING THE STANDARD FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE AND CREDENTIALS

Company name: CFA Institute
Nature of business:
Global association of investment professionals (non-profit)

Nitin Mehta

Locations:

Americas: New York and Charlottesville (Virginia)
EMEA: London and Brussels
ASIA-PACIFIC: Hong Kong
Plus 138 member societies across the world (108,000 CFA charterholders)

Contact information: Nicole Haroutunian, PR Manager (EMEA), 0207 330 9551, nicole.haroutunian@cfainstitute.org

Key executives:
John Rogers, CFA, President and CEO of CFA Institute (Charlottesville)
Nitin Mehta, CFA, managing director of Europe, Middle East and Africa (London)
Paul Smith, CFA, managing director of Asia Pacific (Hong Kong)

Brief history of CFA Institute – interactive timeline
CFA Institute is a global association of investment professionals that traces its lineage back to the establishment of the Financial Analysts Federation (FAF) in 1947. Leadership of the FAF established an independent organisation — the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts (ICFA) — to administer the CFA credentialing programme in 1959; and the ICFA administered the first CFA exams in 1963. Later, the FAF and the ICFA merged to become the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). In 2004, AIMR changed its name to CFA Institute.

Certifications/licenses/products/services
The CFA Program®: a globally recognised, graduate level curriculum that provides a strong foundation of real-world investment analysis and portfolio management skills along with the practical knowledge needed in today’s investment industry. It also emphasises the highest ethical and professional standards. Completing the CFA Program confirms a mastery of the rigorous CFA curriculum, signifies passing all three exam levels, and is one of the requirements for earning the CFA charter. To earn the CFA charter candidates must have four years of qualifying investment work experience, become a member of CFA Institute, pledge to adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, apply for membership to a local CFA member society, and complete the CFA Program.

Certificate in Investment Performance Management (CIPM)®: a designation that offers a set of advanced, globally relevant and practice-based investment performance and risk evaluation skills. Earning it sets professionals apart as an accountable and deeply knowledgeable professional who’s committed to professional integrity, their firm’s success, and their clients’ best interests.

Claritas® Investment Certificate: The Claritas Investment Certificate is a new global self-study education programme and exam designed to give anyone working in financial services a clear understanding of the investment industry and their professional responsibilities within it. Focused on the essentials of finance, ethics, and investment roles, the program requires approximately 100 hours of study and generally can be completed within six months. There is no education or experience requirement, however, candidates should feel comfortable with the English language. Successful candidates are awarded the Claritas® Investment Certificate by CFA Institute.

CSR activities
As a non-profit organisation we don’t have any specific CSR activities. Our mission is to lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society. Our vision is to:
Serves all finance professionals seeking education, knowledge, professional development, connection, or inspiration
Leads the investment profession’s thinking in the areas of ethics, capital market integrity, and excellence of practice.

CFA Institute

Major projects of note
August 2013: The CFA Institute & Edelman Investor Trust Study examines trust by investors in investment managers, and explores what dimensions influence that level of trust. This study builds on the Edelman Trust Barometer which explores the levels of trust informed members of the public have in a variety of business, NGO, and government institutions globally. The Investor Trust Study surveyed over 2,100 retail and institutional investors in the United States, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, and Canada, and finds that while a slim majority of respondents trust investment managers, the level of trust is fragile. The study finds that beyond the usual financial issues of performance and fees, investors place value on alignment of interests in their consideration of which managers to hire. Further information can be found on www.cfainstitute.org/investortrust.

May 2013: The Claritas® Investment Certificate was launched. The Claritas certificate provides a thorough understanding of how the investment industry works, and the knowledge that candidates have acquired will help to shape a more trustworthy financial industry by setting a new international education and ethics standard. In July, CFA Institute announced that 2,408 participants successfully completed and passed the Claritas® Investment Certificate.

March 2013: CFA Institute and a team of prominent financial industry leaders including Advisory Council Chair John Kay have launched the Future of Finance project, a long-term global effort to shape a trustworthy, forward-thinking financial industry that better serves society. The project aims to provide the tools to motivate and empower the world of finance to commit to fairness, improved understanding, and personal integrity. Led by Kay, the advisory council is comprised of a diverse group of experts from finance, education and media. To learn more about the project and find ways to participate, visit www.cfainstitute.org/FutureFinance.

CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organisation is a champion for ethical behaviour in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 118,000 members in 137 countries and territories, including 108,000 CFA charterholders, and 138 member societies. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org

Company name: CFA Institute
Nature of business:
Global association of investment professionals (non-profit)

Nitin Mehta

Locations:

Americas: New York and Charlottesville (Virginia)
EMEA: London and Brussels
ASIA-PACIFIC: Hong Kong
Plus 138 member societies across the world (108,000 CFA charterholders)

Contact information: Nicole Haroutunian, PR Manager (EMEA), 0207 330 9551, nicole.haroutunian@cfainstitute.org

Key executives:
John Rogers, CFA, President and CEO of CFA Institute (Charlottesville)
Nitin Mehta, CFA, managing director of Europe, Middle East and Africa (London)
Paul Smith, CFA, managing director of Asia Pacific (Hong Kong)

Brief history of CFA Institute – interactive timeline
CFA Institute is a global association of investment professionals that traces its lineage back to the establishment of the Financial Analysts Federation (FAF) in 1947. Leadership of the FAF established an independent organisation — the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts (ICFA) — to administer the CFA credentialing programme in 1959; and the ICFA administered the first CFA exams in 1963. Later, the FAF and the ICFA merged to become the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). In 2004, AIMR changed its name to CFA Institute.

Certifications/licenses/products/services
The CFA Program®: a globally recognised, graduate level curriculum that provides a strong foundation of real-world investment analysis and portfolio management skills along with the practical knowledge needed in today’s investment industry. It also emphasises the highest ethical and professional standards. Completing the CFA Program confirms a mastery of the rigorous CFA curriculum, signifies passing all three exam levels, and is one of the requirements for earning the CFA charter. To earn the CFA charter candidates must have four years of qualifying investment work experience, become a member of CFA Institute, pledge to adhere to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, apply for membership to a local CFA member society, and complete the CFA Program.

Certificate in Investment Performance Management (CIPM)®: a designation that offers a set of advanced, globally relevant and practice-based investment performance and risk evaluation skills. Earning it sets professionals apart as an accountable and deeply knowledgeable professional who’s committed to professional integrity, their firm’s success, and their clients’ best interests.

Claritas® Investment Certificate: The Claritas Investment Certificate is a new global self-study education programme and exam designed to give anyone working in financial services a clear understanding of the investment industry and their professional responsibilities within it. Focused on the essentials of finance, ethics, and investment roles, the program requires approximately 100 hours of study and generally can be completed within six months. There is no education or experience requirement, however, candidates should feel comfortable with the English language. Successful candidates are awarded the Claritas® Investment Certificate by CFA Institute.

CSR activities
As a non-profit organisation we don’t have any specific CSR activities. Our mission is to lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society. Our vision is to:
Serves all finance professionals seeking education, knowledge, professional development, connection, or inspiration
Leads the investment profession’s thinking in the areas of ethics, capital market integrity, and excellence of practice.

CFA Institute

Major projects of note
August 2013: The CFA Institute & Edelman Investor Trust Study examines trust by investors in investment managers, and explores what dimensions influence that level of trust. This study builds on the Edelman Trust Barometer which explores the levels of trust informed members of the public have in a variety of business, NGO, and government institutions globally. The Investor Trust Study surveyed over 2,100 retail and institutional investors in the United States, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, and Canada, and finds that while a slim majority of respondents trust investment managers, the level of trust is fragile. The study finds that beyond the usual financial issues of performance and fees, investors place value on alignment of interests in their consideration of which managers to hire. Further information can be found on www.cfainstitute.org/investortrust.

May 2013: The Claritas® Investment Certificate was launched. The Claritas certificate provides a thorough understanding of how the investment industry works, and the knowledge that candidates have acquired will help to shape a more trustworthy financial industry by setting a new international education and ethics standard. In July, CFA Institute announced that 2,408 participants successfully completed and passed the Claritas® Investment Certificate.

March 2013: CFA Institute and a team of prominent financial industry leaders including Advisory Council Chair John Kay have launched the Future of Finance project, a long-term global effort to shape a trustworthy, forward-thinking financial industry that better serves society. The project aims to provide the tools to motivate and empower the world of finance to commit to fairness, improved understanding, and personal integrity. Led by Kay, the advisory council is comprised of a diverse group of experts from finance, education and media. To learn more about the project and find ways to participate, visit www.cfainstitute.org/FutureFinance.

CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organisation is a champion for ethical behaviour in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 118,000 members in 137 countries and territories, including 108,000 CFA charterholders, and 138 member societies. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org