DST International (DSTi), a leading global provider of solutions to the investment management industry, has confirmed that it is to extend its participation in the CIPM certification programme.
Over the last 12 months, DSTi has sponsored six senior members in its performance consulting practice through the CIPM certification programme to earn the credential. Based on the success of that initial roll-out, DSTi will now require that all members of its performance consulting team pass the Principles examination and that all of its senior project staff achieve certification and participate in the CIPM continuing education programme.
Tom Montgomery, VP of Delivery of North America, said: "The CIPM serves as a valuable tool for DSTi and specifically our professional services division. CIPM certification demonstrates our commitment to our employees by supporting and encouraging them to achieve the high standards of CIPM certification, and then through public recognition of those achievements. The CIPM also provides our clients with an external, objective verification that DSTi is committed to meeting industry standards for best practices, and not simply the implementation of software. The ability of our clients to easily see the value of both our software and professional services expertise has always been a critical factor in success of our implementations."
The CIPM programme is designed to test candidates` mastery of a specialised curriculum in the areas of ethics and performance evaluation, as well as the application of the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS). Certification recognises 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 programme trains performance analysts, client relationship managers, investment consultants, GIPS verifiers, compliance officers, regulators, and software developers, among others, to meet industry needs for well-qualified, ethically grounded performance professionals.
Recipients of the CIPM designation have sequentially passed two three-hour computer-based exams (Principles and Expert), met the work experience requirements, joined the CIPM Association, and agreed to comply with its Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.
The CIPM Programme is administered worldwide by CFA Institute, a not-for-profit professional association with offices in Virginia, London, New York, and Hong Kong. CFA Institute is the global association for investment professionals.
Philip Lawton, CFA, CIPM, head of the CIPM Programme, said: "The CIPM Programme provides external, independent recognition of the high level of skill and expertise required in investment performance analysis. "Certificants` employers and clients can be assured that these professionals know how to evaluate historical results and to present investment performance fairly, completely, and accurately."
Des Gallacher, DSTi Global Performance Solution Manager, said: "In many ways, I view the CIPM certification as a critical extension of DSTi`s investment in the HiPerformance product. In the same way DSTi has consistently re-invested in HiPerformance to ensure that the application`s functionality meets market demands, we are also committed to ensuring that our staff are actively tracking trends in the performance measurement space and that they communicate the impact of these trends on clients` implementation."
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