CFA Institute Opens First China Office, Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to China and to a Healthy Financial Market

Reinforcing its commitment to the global investment profession, CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the highest standards for education, ethics, and professionalism, today opened its first China office. The establishment of a presence in China demonstrates strong support for China’s growing number of CFA Institute members and CFA Program candidates and allows for renewed focus on efforts to actively strengthen investor confidence and market integrity and contribute to the sustainable development of China’s financial industry. 

The CFA Institute Beijing office was formally opened with a ceremony near the office in Oriental Plaza. Speeches were given by members of the CFA Institute global and China leadership teams, Chinese financial regulators, and partners. The event, with the theme “Celebrating the Past, Present, and Future of CFA Institute in China,” featured an audience of CFA Institute members, including Phillip Wu, CFA, the first CFA charterholder in China; Jane Shao, CFA, the first member of the CFA Institute Board of Governors from China; members and volunteers from various cities including Beijing and Shanghai; current CFA Program candidates; and members of prestigious organizations and associations seeking to partner with CFA Institute and to develop the organization, the financial market, and the asset management sector in China.

“Long-term economic development of China requires more financial elites, and CFA Institute is well positioned to provide support,” said LJ Jia, China country head at CFA Institute. “China has now transformed from the ‘world’s factory’ to an economy driven by the service industry and domestic consumption. The ‘new normal’ era requires world-class financial talents and a mature financial market to enable the real economy for sustainable growth. With the ongoing internationalization of China’s financial market, CFA Institute will continue to collaborate closely with Chinese financial authorities and industry professionals to promote the CFA Institute ‘gold standard’ and put it into practice in the course of China’s economic transformation as well as financial innovation,” he said.

China is a key growth market for CFA Institute, driven by the increasing need for talent in the growing financial and asset management industry. As of today, there are more than 3,000 CFA charterholders in China. Last year alone, there were more than 36,000 CFA exam candidates in China, ranking first in the Asia-Pacific region and second after the United States globally in terms of the number of people taking the exam. Over the past 10 years, this represents a 20% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for CFA Program candidates and a 26% CAGR for CFA charterholders in China. China will continue to see more demand for CFA charterholders while the market continues to open up and internationalize.

“This important milestone in the history of CFA Institute underscores our commitment to China and to the global investment profession,” said Paul Smith, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute. “With this nearly 60-year journey of CFA Institute, the establishment of the Beijing office is a new start for us in China, which demonstrates our focus on broadening our global footprint and strengthening our position as a leading steward of the global financial markets. Through our portfolio of educational programs—the CFA Program, CIPM® Program, and Claritas® Investment Certificate—we hope to grow more and more world-class financial talents from China, who would be essential forces to facilitate the continued development of China’s financial market and financial reform.”

The CFA charter is one of the most respected professional qualifications in the global investment industry. CFA Institute is present across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Its global operations center is in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it has additional offices in New York City, London, Brussels, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Mumbai.