The CFA® Program provides investment management professionals with the attributes and industry skills that they need to help institutions flourish amidst rapidly changing organisational cultures and external industry pressures.
The future of the investment industry is important for the functioning of the global economy, for the approximately two million workers it employs, and for the clients and end investors that depend on it to manage around USD $100 trillion in assets.
So, what are the issues that keep investment management executives up at night?
Diversity and inclusion
The successful investment firm of the future will be differentiated by its culture and its ability to attract the best talent. An inclusive culture that leverages diverse views effectively will be an important element determining a firm’s success.
Ethics and professional standards
Globally, investors have a strong level of trust in the financial system overall, and trust in the industry has increased slightly. Locally, there are significant challenges – only 31% of Australian investors “completely trust or trust” the financial services sector, the lowest percentage in the region and tied for the second-lowest percentage globally.
Changing roles
The roles of investment professionals are expected to change over the next 5-10 years. A range of primary forces are impacting the roles of investment professionals including technological innovation, changing organisational structures, the influx of millennials in the investment workforce, globalisation, and the growth in Asia Pacific on the core investment professional’s role in the industry.
Changing skills
Individuals speak of skills in the industry, but employers will often reference “competency models” in which competency is associated with “knowledge, skills, and abilities” to describe the exact needs of the job and its function. Employers need to develop and support strategies for gaining new and desirable skills that enable individuals and organisations to adapt to the new operating environment.
CFA charterholders provide employers with the best industry talent who can articulate a compelling vision for the institution and instil and ethical culture. Our commitment to ethical conduct and diversity strengthens the link between better performance and organisational culture.
Our 2019 report entitled Investment Professional of the Future, looks out over the next 5-10 years to explore the changing roles, skills, and organisational cultures that affect the career path for investment professionals.