EARNING THE CFA CHARTER

Marcelo Suárez Castillo, CFA

19 August 2014

Global association of investment professionals

dedicated to promoting the highest standards of

ethics, education, and professional excellence

for the ultimate benefit of society

CFA INSTITUTE ORGANIZATIONAL PILLARS

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• Championing ethical behavior in investment markets

Ethical Champion

• Creating a strong community of investment professionals

Global Community

• Being a respected source of knowledge in investment markets

Industry Knowledge

• Raising standards of professional excellence in the industry

Professional Excellence

• Build an investment industry that serves the interests of investors and society

The Greater Good

CFA INSTITUTE PORTFOLIO

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CFA ® Program

Claritas™ Investment Certificate

MyCFA and Blogs

Educational Events, Publications, and Multimedia

Career Resources

Ethics and Standards

CIPM® Program

Local CFA Institute Society Network

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE CFA CHARTER

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34.4 million people in the finance industry

2.7 million investment professionals

4% of investment professionals are

CFA charterholders

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THE CFA CHARTER

A mark of distinction and globally recognized professional

credential in the finance and investment industry.

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“Among the countless finance degrees around the world,

the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification has become

the gold standard.”

Financial Times

13 August 2010

THE CFA CHARTER

If you are looking for a passport to the world of finance and

investing, earning the CFA charter could be the most

important move you make in your career.

• Held by over 115,000 investment professionals working in more

than 130 countries

• Recognized by regulatory bodies in many countries as a proxy for

meeting certain licensing requirements

• 140 universities around the world incorporate the CFA curriculum

into their degree programs

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GROWING DEMAND FOR

THE CFA CHARTER

Candidate exam registration

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0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

EMPLOYERS SEEK OUT

THE CFA CHARTER

“You have, or are in the final year of [earning], your CFA designation”

Equity Research Associate, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, 2010

“Enrollment in, or completion of, a CFA designation [program] would

be an asset”

Investment Banking Analyst, Goldman Sachs, 2010

“Completed [the CFA Program] or working towards CFA designation is

advantageous”

Analyst, BlackRock, 2010

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* Listings from CFA Institute JobLine

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TOP GLOBAL EMPLOYERS OF

CFA CHARTERHOLDERS

*As of September 2012

WHAT CAN I DO WITH

THE CFA CHARTER?

Charterholder employment by sector

*As of September 2012

WHAT CAN I DO WITH

THE CFA CHARTER?

Charterholder employment by title

*As of September 2012

WHAT YOU LEARN AS A CFA CHARTERHOLDER

Investment Tools

• Quantitative Methods

• Economics

• Financial Reporting & Analysis

• Corporate Finance

Asset Classes

• Equity Investments

• Fixed Income

• Derivatives

• Alternative Investments

Portfolio Management & Wealth Planning

• Private Wealth Management

• Institutional Management

• Risk Management

• Performance Measurement & Evaluation

Ethics &

Professional

Standards

THE THREE LEVELS OF THE CFA EXAMS

THE CFA EQUATION

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WITH THE CFA CHARTER, YOU …

• Develop a comprehensive investment perspective

• Gain fluency with current practical investment analysis and management

• Earn credibility with industry peers

• Become part of a global community of top investment professionals

• Gain flexibility to work in any market

• Are sought out by top industry employers

• Demonstrate a commitment to ethics and professional standards

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www.cfainstitute.org/cfaprogram

BECOME A CFA CHARTERHOLDER

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• Put client interests first.

• Preserve confidentiality.

• Avoid, or at the very least, manage conflicts of interest.

• Provide full and fair disclosure.

• Treat all clients fairly.

• Act with reasonable care and prudent judgment.

• Maintain independence and objectivity.

• Source: Michael G. McMillan, CFA. Director, Ethics and Professional Standards. CFA Institute.

“Ethical Decision Making.” CFA Institute Conference Proceedings Quarterly. December 2012

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

Effective

Thinking about

Honesty,

Integrity,

Character, and

Suitability

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WHAT IS THE CFA CHARTER?

• Since 1963, the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

Charter has been recognized as the top globally recognized investment credential since 1963

• Deemed the “gold standard” by industry leaders and employers

• A designation held by over 90,000 investment professionals in more than 135 countries

• Top employers

- Regulators in 19 countries recognize the charter as a proxy for certain licenses

If you’re looking for a passport to the world of investment and finance, earning the CFA charter could be the most important move you make in your career.

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WHAT IS THE CFA INSTITUTE RESEARCH

CHALLENGE?

How is it organized?

• Worldwide intercollegiate competition

between teams of students

• Organized by local CFA Institute

volunteers – usually through CFA

member societies

• At least 4 teams of 3-5 students

participate

What does it involve?

• Analysis of a publicly-traded company

• Interviews with company management

• Mentoring by a CFA charterholder

• Research report writing

• Presentation of research

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2015 CHALLENGE DIAGRAM

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90+ LOCAL LEVEL CHALLENGES

AP

Regional

~20 Teams

EMEA

Regional

~25 Teams

Americas

Regional

~48 Teams

Global Final

BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS

• Best practices in research and report writing

• Real-life learning experience as an Equity Analyst

• Access and exposure to leading industry

professionals

• Professional report and experience to use on

resume/CV and job interviews

• Experience presenting to top financial

professionals

• Individual and team prizes

• Opportunity for travel

• Potential for media exposure

• A network of over 10,000 students and 2,200

volunteers worldwide

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2015 RESEARCH CHALLENGE NETWORK

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