CFA Institute Marks 50th Anniversary of the CFA Program; Opens Trading on Toronto Stock Exchange on May 29

Ceremonies Planned For Record-Setting 24 Stock Exchanges Worldwide

TORONTO, May 23, 2012 /CNW/ - CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence, will celebrate 50 years of the Chartered Financial Analyst Program by opening trading on Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and hosting ceremonies in 23 other financial centres around the world on Tuesday, May 29. The global market ceremonies represent the greatest number of stock exchanges worldwide opened or closed by one organization on a single day.

The ceremonies set the stage for next weekend, when more than 149,000 registered candidates from 168 countries will take the Level I, II and III CFA exams on June 2 and 3. The events usher in a year of celebration for CFA Institute, which offered the first CFA examination in June 1963. Joining CFA Institute to open TSX will be the Toronto CFA Society, the second largest CFA Institute member society in the world.

The CFA charter sets the standard for investment practice and is a globally recognized benchmark for ethics in the profession. Following the first exam, 268 investment professionals were awarded the CFA charter. Nearly 50 years later, there are more than 100,000 charterholders in 139 countries and territories - representing the highest professional standards and competencies in the global investment community.

"There is no better way to celebrate the success and international impact of the CFA Program than with a global event of this magnitude," said John D. Rogers, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute. "The CFA Program has grown tremendously since the very first exam, expanding to more than 100,000 charterholders who practice the highest level of professional and ethical standards. The financial industry has faced many challenges since the inception of the program, and I'm proud of the impact CFA Institute continues to have on ethics, education and excellence in the profession."

Margaret Franklin, CFA, former chair, CFA Institute Board of Governors, and Frederick Pinto, CFA, president, Toronto CFA Society, will join TMX Group executives to open TSX on May 29 at the TMX Broadcast Centre. Margaret Franklin will provide opening remarks to commemorate the CFA Program's 50^th anniversary and John McNeill, an early charterholder from 1965, will also be in attendance.

In addition to opening Toronto Stock Exchange, CFA Institute and its member societies will host ceremonies in the following locations on May 29:

• Amman Stock Exchange (ASE)
• Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX)
• Bombay Stock Exchange (BOM)
• Brussels Stock Exchange (BRU)
• Bucharest Stock Exchange (BUC)
• Budapest Stock Exchange (BSE)
• Bulgaria Stock Exchange (BUL)
• Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE)
• Dubai Financial Markets (DFM) and NASDAQ Dubai
• Egyptian Exchange (EGX)
• Euronext Paris (PAR)
• Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX)
• Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX)
• Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE)
• London Stock Exchange (LSE)
• Mexican Stock Exchange (MSX)
• Moscow Stock Exchange (MICEX)
• Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE)
• New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
• New Zealand Exchange (NZX)
• Prague Stock Exchange (PSE)
• Singapore Exchange  (SGX)
• Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM)

The original CFA Program focused on equity security analysts in a U.S. setting and emphasized ethical and professional standards. Today, the program represents a global context, and covers topics such as fixed-income analysis, alternative and derivative investments and portfolio management. CFA Institute traces its roots to the establishment of the Financial Analysts Federation in 1947, following the call for a financial analyst certification by industry giant Benjamin Graham in 1942. FAF leaders created the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts in 1959 to administer the CFA program, and the two organizations merged in 1999 to form what is now CFA Institute.

CFA Institute recently kicked off the 50^th Anniversary celebrations at its Annual Conference, where it issued a call to action to the global investment community with its Integrity List, a collection of tangible steps that investment professionals can take to restore trust in the industry.

About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 110,000 members in 139 countries and territories, including 100,000 charterholders, and 136 member societies. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org.

Godhuli Chatterjee 
Fleishman-Hillard
[phone]
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