CFA Societies Australia

CFA Societies Australia (CFASA) comprises associations – based in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth – of local investment professionals engaged in a wide variety of roles. These include corporate finance, portfolio management, security analysis and investment advice.

For further information please contact:

 

Michaela Francis
Executive Director,
CFA Society Sydney		 +61 404 264 636
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  www.cfas.org.au

With more than 3,000 members across Australia, CFASA aims to increase local public awareness of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) programme and add value to members by providing exceptional programmes and continuing education events, professional development opportunities, career development, placement, networking and social activities.

Mission

CFASA’s mission is to enhance the reputation of the CFA designation in Australia by promoting ethics, integrity and professional excellence, and to improve the competency and standards of the investment profession in Australia.

The CFASA Diversity Council was established to raise awareness around the significant issue of diversity disparity and to effect positive change and achieve outcomes that lead to industry and community transformation around this issue. CFASA currently has 19 per cent female members, with a target of 30 per cent by 2027.

In FY19 more than 13,000 candidates enrolled in the CFA programme in Australia, including 50 per cent female candidates for level one. Several initiatives have been implemented to keep female candidates involved – including focus groups, mentoring and candidate-engagement programmes.

History

In 1947, four financial analyst societies – Boston, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia – cooperated for the purpose of promoting the exchange of ideas and supporting the welfare of their profession. In 1962, some of these financial analysts created the CFA designation and established a code of conduct.

In 1963, the profession was formalised when 284 candidates sat for the first CFA exam and 268 CFA charters were awarded. In 2004, the Association for Investment Management and Research voted to change its name to the CFA Institute. There are more than 178,000 CFA charterholders worldwide in 162 markets.

CFA Society Sydney was the first society to form in Australia, in 1996, with Melbourne following in 2000 and Perth in 2012. Today, these three societies make up CFASA.

Membership

Becoming a member of CFA Institute enables the use of the CFA designation. This enables members to engage with the issues affecting their profession, connect with local and global colleagues, and access top-tier professional learning resources and the latest industry insights.

Becoming a society member is a great way to get practical benefits from the CFA designation and engage with the industry. The societies work hard to provide members with a wide range of member benefits. These include networking opportunities, professional development, workshops, conferences, volunteer opportunities and mentoring. CFASA also advocates for the highest standards of competency, compliance, ethical behaviour and market integrity on behalf of beneficiaries of financial services in Australia.

Top 10 employers of CFA charterholders*:

  • Commonwealth Bank of Australia
  • National Australia Bank
  • Macquarie Group
  • Westpac Banking Corporation
  • AMP
  • ANZ Banking Group
  • AustralianSuper
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Pendal Group
  • Deloitte
    * In descending order, starting with firms with highest number of CFA charterholder

Top 10 CFA charterholder occupations*:

  • Research analyst, Investment Analyst, Quantitative Analyst
  • Portfolio manager
  • Other
  • Corporate Financial Analyst
  • Consultant
  • Risk Analyst/Manager
  • Relationship Manager/Account Manager
  • Financial Adviser/Planner/Wealth Manager
  • Accountant or Auditor
  • Investment Strategist
    * In descending order, starting with most popular occupations for CFA charterholders