CFA, your partner for professional excellence

If you are looking for a qualification to enhance your financial services CV, the exam by the CFA Institute is a good place to start. The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is globally recognised as the premier investment management designation in the financial services industry. 

The program is incredibly well-regarded and known for its integrity and stature in the financial services industry. It is the sort-after qualification for those seeking an edge in the world of finance and it is globally accredited in the financial services industry for its intense focus on investment knowledge, analytical skill, and ethical standards. 

Industry professionals worldwide recognise the CFA charter as the “gold standard” of all financial analyst designations. Awarded by only one institute internationally, the CFA Institute, which is a Global organisation headquartered in the United States, CFA is accepted as a prestigious credential in almost every country around the globe and affords unparalleled work mobility.

CFA offers a curriculum that provides a strong foundation of real-world investment analysis and portfolio management skills along with the practical knowledge you need in today’s investment industry and is recognised as equivalent to a Masters in Finance by NARIC UK, the UK National Agency Responsible for providing information, advice and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications. It also emphasises the highest ethical and professional standards. 

It is methodically and regularly updated with knowledge, skills and competencies that are relevant to the profession. CFA certification lends instant credibility to any finance professional’s profile and offers great leverage in moving ones career forward. This certification can open up high profile career avenues for financial strategists, private bankers, portfolio managers, private wealth managers, financial advisors, etc.

The number of CFA candidates has been rising due to the increasingly widespread acknowledgement of the profession throughout the world. CFA Institute has more than 125,000 charter holders in more than 135 countries and territories. This is a result of the increasing number of employers considering the charter as an important qualification in job applications and career advancement within the financial services sector. 

The CFA program curriculum develops knowledge and competencies that investment professionals deem necessary in today’s ever changing marketplace. The CFA program is structured to provide charter holders with specialised skills, such as investment analysis, portfolio strategy and asset allocation. The three-level exam process covers topics that include ethical and professional standards, quantitative methods, economics, financial reporting and analysis, corporate finance, investment tools, asset classes, and portfolio management and wealth planning.

To earn the CFA designation, candidates must pass all three levels of exam, meet the work experience requirements of four years in the investment industry and sign an annual commitment to abide by the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Increasingly, more business schools are incorporating aspects of the CFA curriculum into their programs, from undergraduate business programs to Master of Finance programs within accredited universities. 

The CFA certification also complements other credentials such as an MBA and provides a great leverage to one’s knowledge and resume as a professional qualification. With all these benefits to offer, CFA quite rightly is the most sought after credential in finance industry. 

To obtain more information on the CFA program visit www.cfainstitute.org or call 0112 451220.