Home

I'm looking for:

We're using cookies, but you can turn them off in your browser settings. Otherwise, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more in our Privacy Policy

CFA Institute CEO Challenges Industry to Continue to Rebuild Trust, Usher in New Era of Capitalism with Purpose

14 May, 2018
Hong Kong SAR China
Annual flagship event attracts global investment professionals and renowned speakers to Hong Kong to exchange insights on the future of global investing

CFA Institute, the global association of investment management professionals, today called on the investment profession to come together for the advancement of ‘capitalism with a purpose for the world’ on the ten-year anniversary of the Global Financial Crisis.

Speaking to a global audience of more than 1,000 chief investment officers, fund managers, and investment professionals, joining from more than 65 countries for the 71st CFA Institute Annual Conference, Paul Smith, CFA and president and CEO of CFA Institute, urged CFA charterholders to do their part to generate tangible value for investors and cultivate a culture within the industry that better serves the greater society.

Under the theme ‘igniting our shared sense of purpose’, Smith discussed the role of the investment profession in the world and how industry professionals can exercise leadership to redefine value and reclaim trust. “Our industry’s future hinges on proving to our clients – both institutional or private -- that not only are their interests at the core of what we do but that we also recognise that finance plays a pivotal role in helping the communities we serve attain their objectives: financial, environmental and social,” he remarked.

Smith outlined four means to achieve ‘capitalism with purpose’: increasing levels of trust among investors globally; the rich history of the profession in creating societal and community benefits; lessons learned from emerging economies in addressing public needs within their newer financial frameworks; and the responsibility of CFA charterholders to be model leaders with high ethical and professional standards. “We must stand for financial inclusion and we must help open the doors of financial opportunity,” Smith added.

Smith encouraged investment professionals to listen first when communicating with clients to understand their goals and then propose financial products and investment solutions. Investment management professionals can bring tangible society progress by empowering companies and governments to invest in research and build infrastructure and giving families resources to pay for their children’s education and provide a secure retirement.

Access Conference Content

More information about the 71st CFA Institute Annual Conference can be accessed through the following channels:

  • Watch a livestream of the conference or view the live conference schedule;
  • Visit the CFA Institute Annual Conference microsite for the complete conference schedule, speaker biographies;
  • Read timely blog posts published in advance, during and after the conference;
  • Join through Conference Live, an online and archived conference experience of plenary sessions, exclusive speaker interviews, and discussions of current topics with CFA Institute subject matter experts; and
  • Follow what topics are trending on Twitter #Annual2018.
Conference Highlights

The conference was opened by The Honorable Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, The Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The CFA Institute Annual Conference is co-hosted with The Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts (HKSFA) and is taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Themed “Future of Global Investing,” the conference marks the first time that the annual global conference has taken place in Hong Kong and only the second time in Asia.

Keynote speakers and panelists attending the conference include: Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences; Steven Eisman, managing director, Neuberger Berman; Lei Zhang, founder, chair, and CEO Hillhouse Capital Management Group; and Oscar Onyema, CEO of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, among others.