Sophie Macon 
Risk management in finance is essentially the practice of minimizing a firm’s downside exposure, through identifying, analyzing and managing acceptable levels of uncertainties in a firm’s day-to-day operations. With increasing global instability and uncertainty, risk managers are in high demand globally as corporations seek to differentiate themselves as long term winners. Given the breadth of …
Financial risk managers play an invaluable role in maintaining a company’s fiscal health by seeking to identify, analyze and address the risks associated with a company’s business operations. Today, the profession is highly valued, with median annual salaries of $128K in the US, going up to $200K+ for top 10% of risk management professionals. For …
Previously known as Claritas, the Investment Foundations Program by CFA Institute was paused in December 2021 for a product refresh. Since then, a new, enhanced version of the Investment Foundations Certificate was launched globally. With the same educational objective as before, it now has an enhanced, self-paced online experience, requiring only 60-90 hours of study …
The pandemic has given us all the appreciation of working flexibly whilst still maintaining productivity and a good work life balance. This trend is prevalent in the professional education sector too. The College for Financial Planning (CFFP) – a Kaplan company – offers two online Master’s degree programs to address this demand. In particular, CFFP’s …
Investment banking can be extremely rewarding as a career choice, both purely financial terms as well as professionally. Not only it pays well, it can also lead to some great exit opportunities as you progress in your career. That said, an investment banking career path can be demanding and often stressful, although a popular finance …
[Updated for Feb 2024 exams] CFA pass rates are a factor in most candidates’ consideration on whether to sign up for the CFA exams. If pass rates are too high, it lacks prestigiousness. If it is too low, it is too difficult and may not be worth the effort. Tricky, eh? Often branded the ‘world’s …
It’s easy to get discouraged by the recent unexpected trends in CFA minimum passing scores and pass rates, although there are some early signs of it returning to long term averages. While there are a few reasons for the recent low CFA pass rates, the implications for CFA candidates are clear: the guidance on CFA …
Considering the CAIA designation? It’s a pretty good choice if you plan to build a career in growing alternative investments sector. In response to the pandemic, CAIA has expanded its in-person computer-based testing (CBT) exams to accommodate online proctoring (OP) as well, so you can now take the CAIA exams remotely too. Whether you are …
When preparing for my CFA exams years ago, I often wondered if there are brain foods for studying that improved my concentration. This resulted in some experiments and changes in my food intake. And my, what a difference it makes – it’s as if the heavy cloud clogging my brain lifted instantly! My concentration improved …
CFA and CAIA designations can appear very similar at first sight, as they both target investment and financial professionals. However, there are differences in global recognition, breadth and depth of topics studied, career focus and exam difficulty. They could even be a complementary set of finance certifications to go for, depending on career goals. For …