Professional Designations

eBIS places a high priority on education, particularly knowledge specific to risk quantification and analysis, investment management, and financial planning. In addition to undergraduate and post-graduate university degrees, eBIS highly values industry-leading cerfitications in these areas. Our team has earned a number of these designations, demonstrating our commitment to lifelong learning and to serving our clients at the highest level.

CFA: CHARTERED FINANCIAL ANALYST

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is a globally respected, graduate-level investment credential established in 1962 and awarded by the CFA Institute, the largest global association of investment professionals.

There are currently more than 135,000 CFA charterholders working in 150 countries. To earn the CFA designation, candidates must (1) pass three sequential, six-hour examinations, (2) have at least four years of qualified professional investment experience, (3) join the CFA Institute as members, and (4) commit to abide by, and annually reaffirm, their adherence to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

High Ethical Standards

The CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, enforced through an active professional conduct program, requires CFA charterholders to:

Place their clients’ interests ahead of their own
Maintain independence and objectivity
Act with integrity
Maintain and improve their professional competence
Disclose conflicts of interest and legal matters

Global Recognition

Passing the three CFA exams is a difficult feat that requires extensive study (successful candidates report spending an average of 300 hours of study at each level). Earning the CFA charter demonstrates mastery of many of the advanced skills needed for investment analysis and decision-making in today’s quickly evolving global financial industry. As a result, employers and clients are increasingly seeking CFA charterholders, often making the charter a prerequisite for employment.

Additionally, regulatory bodies in 28 countries recognize the CFA charter as a proxy for meeting certain licensing requirements. More than 300 colleges and universities around the world have incorporated a majority of the CFA Program curriculum into their own finance courses.

Comprehensive and Current Knowledge

The CFA Program curriculum provides a comprehensive framework of knowledge for investment decision making and is firmly grounded in the knowledge and skills used every day in the investment profession. The three levels of the CFA Program test proficiency in a wide range of fundamental and advanced investment topics, including ethical and professional standards, fixed-income and equity analysis, alternative and derivative investments, economics, financial reporting standards, portfolio management, and wealth planning.

The CFA Program curriculum is updated every year by experts from around the world to ensure that candidates learn the most relevant and practical new tools, ideas, and investment management skills to reflect the dynamic and complex nature of the profession.

To learn more about the CFA charter, click here.

CFP®: CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER

The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® marks are professional certification marks granted in the United States by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (“CFP Board”).

The CFP® certification is a voluntary certification; no federal or state law or regulation requires financial planners to hold CFP® certification. It is recognized in the United States and a number of other countries for its (1) high standard of professional education; (2) stringent code of conduct and standards of practice; and (3) ethical requirements that govern professional engagements with clients. Currently, more than 71,000 individuals have obtained CFP® certification in the United States.

To attain the right to use the CFP® marks, an individual must satisfactorily fulfill the following requirements:

Education – Complete an advanced college-level course of study addressing the financial planning subject areas that CFP Board’s studies have determined as necessary for the competent and professional delivery of financial planning services, and attain a Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited United States college or university (or its equivalent from a foreign university). CFP Board’s financial planning subject areas include insurance planning and risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning;

Examination – Pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Examination. The examination includes case studies and client scenarios designed to test one’s ability to correctly diagnose financial planning issues and apply one’s knowledge of financial planning to real world circumstances. It is a rigorous, two day examination at a testing center with security precautions to validate the identity of each test-taker;

Experience – Complete at least three years of full-time financial planning-related experience (or the equivalent, measured as 2,000 hours per year); and

Ethics – Agree to be bound by CFP Board’s Standards of Professional Conduct, a set of documents outlining the ethical and practice standards for CFP®professionals.

Individuals who become certified must complete the following ongoing education and ethics requirements in order to maintain the right to continue to use the CFP® marks:

Continuing Education – Complete 30 hours of continuing education hours every two years, including two hours on the Code of Ethics and other parts of the Standards of Professional Conduct, to maintain competence and keep up with developments in the financial planning field; and

Ethics – Renew an agreement to be bound by the Standards of Professional Conduct. The Standards prominently require that CFP® professionals provide financial planning services at a fiduciary standard of care. This means CFP®professionals must provide financial planning services in the best interests of their clients.

CFP® professionals who fail to comply with the above standards and requirements may be subject to CFP Board’s enforcement process, which could result in suspension or permanent revocation of their CFP® certification.

To learn more about the CFP® certification, please visit: www.cfp.net.