CFA Institute Welcomes New CIPM Certificants

CIPM only professional designation dedicated to investment performance analysis

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence, announced that 46 percent of the candidates who sat for the final Expert level exam in the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM^®) program passed the April 2012 exam. These 98 successful candidates are now able to use the CIPM designation, the premier mark of distinction for professionals seeking to increase their mastery of performance measurement principles. There are now a total of 880 investment professionals who hold the CIPM designation.

“Fair and effective financial markets are led by competent and ethically centered professionals focused on the greater good, and we are proud to award the CIPM designation to this outstanding group of professionals.”

The CIPM credential is the investment industry’s only designation dedicated to the specialized field of investment performance analysis and presentation. The two-level CIPM program is designed to test a candidate’s knowledge in the areas of ethics, performance evaluation, and application of the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS^®), which give investors the transparency required to compare and evaluate investment managers.

“In difficult market conditions and an environment of low investor confidence, it is essential that investment professionals represent a high standard of professional excellence and ethical conduct,” said Todd Jankowski, CFA, head of the CIPM Program at CFA Institute. “Fair and effective financial markets are led by competent and ethically centered professionals focused on the greater good, and we are proud to award the CIPM designation to this outstanding group of professionals.”

In total, 211 candidates in 30 countries took the three-hour, computer-based Expert level exam. To earn the certificate, a candidate must enroll and pass two exams, become a regular member of the CIPM Association, and meet professional experience requirements. The CIPM program applies best practices in investment analysis techniques through a self-directed curriculum and tests proficiency in professional ethics, performance evaluation, and investment reporting.

The CIPM program helps to serve the CFA Institute goal to create an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. Last month, CFA Institute issued a call 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. New CIPM certificants are the latest example of professionals who are focused on professional excellence and restoring trust in the investment profession.

The number of candidates registered for the CIPM exam cycle has increased by 51 percent since April 2006. This marked growth demonstrates the increased value that professionals in investment performance evaluation place on the designation. Successful CIPM candidates include performance analysts, client relationship managers, institutional investors, consultants, compliance officers and IT professionals, among others.

In addition, 54 percent of 268 candidates in 35 countries who took the Principles level of the CIPM exam have passed. The Principles level exam emphasizes investment tools and inputs necessary for performance evaluation and the provisions of the GIPS standards. Candidates who passed the Principles level exam are eligible to enroll in the Expert level of the program.

Enrollment for both levels in the October 2012 examination window remains open through July 31, 2012. The CIPM curriculum is offered online and examinations are administered during two periods each year at test centers worldwide.

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 101,000 Chartered Financial Analyst charterholders, and 136 member societies. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org.

About the CIPM

The CIPM program is designed to test candidates’ mastery of a specialized curriculum in the areas of ethics, performance evaluation, and application of the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS). Certification recognizes a practitioner’s proficiency in applying analytical techniques and preparing GIPS-compliant presentations, which guide investment firms in fairly representing and fully disclosing performance results. The CIPM self-study program trains performance analysts, client relationship managers, investment consultants, GIPS verifiers, compliance officers, regulators, and software developers, among others, to meet industry needs for technically qualified, ethically grounded investment performance professionals.