TEXT: I would like to congratulate CFA Society Pakistan on successfully completing 20 years of promoting ethics and professional excellence in the capital markets of Pakistan. Some of the key challenges in the capital markets arena include lack of awareness of financial products and qualified HR with both technical and ethical qualifications. CFA Society Pakistan has played an invaluable role in bridging these challenges over the last 20 years. Global outreach of CFA® Community can be leveraged to improve Pakistan’s international brand image. The Society’s regular collaboration with CFA Institute’s international member societies has also enabled an excellent exchange of information and best practices which are followed in global capital markets, thereby contributing to the development of capital markets in Pakistan.

Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has a rich history of collaboration with CFA Society Pakistan, including initiatives on ESG and sustainability, adoption of CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, amongst others. The Society is a part of the ESG Taskforce established by PSX and has contributed through sharing global standards on ESG disclosures. CFA Society Pakistan has also collaborated with CFA Institute to offer scholarships for employees of PSX, SECP, SBP and FBR appearing in the CFA Program, for development of the market. I hope this effort will be continued and expanded in the future.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022