New Fellowship Program Raises Professional and Personal Standards for Leaders in the Global Finance Ecosystem

The Aspen Institute, an organization that fosters leadership based on enduring values and provides a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues, and CFA Institute, the global association of investment management professionals, announce the launch of the first-of-its-kind Financial Leaders Fellowship (FLF) Program. This newest program in the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), a worldwide community of leaders with a focus on values and sights on creating a better society, is designed to drive selected Finance Fellows to consider ethical values and perspectives necessary for effective leadership in finance and in society at-large.

“At CFA Institute, we aspire to build and to lead the investment management profession,” said Paul Smith, CFA, president and CEO, CFA Institute. “To do this we must do more than prepare and continuously educate highly competent professionals. We must also build partnerships with institutions like the Aspen Institute who will identify and train the future leaders of our industry to transform the profession and its focus on serving society. By forming this partnership, CFA Institute will gain new perspectives on the future direction of the investment profession, allowing us to contribute to the development of the next generation of investment profession leaders.”

Beginning in October 2016, the first class of the FLF Program will consist of 20-22 successful, community-spirited leaders working in the broad finance ecosystem as savers, users, intermediaries, and stewards of capital. These Finance Leaders Fellows will spend four weeks over the course of two years exploring their leadership, core values, desired legacies, and their vision for the finance sector. Importantly, each Fellow commits to launching a leadership venture that will challenge them personally and advance the positive impact of finance in society. The FLF Fellows join more than 2,100 other entrepreneurial leaders from 49 countries to become members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

“For nearly 20 years, the Aspen Institute has challenged entrepreneurial business leaders to stretch themselves and broaden their impact on society,” said Peter Reiling, executive vice president of leadership and seminar programs at the Aspen Institute. “We are excited to partner with CFA Institute to bring creative and diverse leaders in the finance sector into the Aspen Global Leadership Network and add to the mosaic of Fellows having an impact on the world’s most complex challenges.”

In addition to sponsoring the FLF Program, CFA Institute will be part of the FLF Advisory Council. This Council will advise Fellowship strategy and policy, and its membership will be comprised of senior industry representatives who support the Fellowship’s mission.

The Finance Leaders Fellowship Program was made possible by the lead underwriting support of CFA Institute and Christopher Varelas, and major support from David McCormick, Ranji Nagaswami and Bo Hopkins, Lisa Shalett, and the Pactolus Family Foundation.

For more about the Finance Leaders Fellowship Program, visit www.aspeninstitute.org/flf.