CFA Society Sri Lanka is the local member of the CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the highest standards of ethics, education and professional excellence. CFS Society Sri Lanka proudly welcomed 20 local investment professionals who have earned the prestigious title of CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) at its Annual Oration and Awards Ceremony recently.
Welcoming the charterholders, CFA Society Sri Lanka President Sanjay Kulatunga said, “This year we have added yet another seven passed finalists and 20 charterholders to the growing roster of CFAs within the capital market industry and I dare say even the wider corporate sectors of our country. I would like to congratulate all of charter recipients and passed finalists in having reached the culmination of a rigorous programme of study over three years. I would also like to remind you that the rewards of what you have achieved today will only manifest in the manner with which you translate this achievement into professional and even selfless conduct.”  
He urged the new charterholders and passed finalists to help lead the industry by always putting investor interests first and to actively participate in society activities towards enhancing knowledge and promoting ethical behaviour. 

CFA Charterholders 2015

Orator for the evening, Tata Sons Director Ramabadran Gopalakrishnan was inspiring with his examples of life lessons, including realizing personal potential and achieving work-life balance.  Instilling the importance of ethics by sharing a real-life story, he showed extraordinary human accomplishments that have questioned the relationship between fact and opinion. 
“As you strive in your career for accomplishment, recognition and advancement, remember there is no better yardstick than what you have set in your own mind. It is important for all of us to take pride from our accomplishments, rather than expend mental energy to be one up on our peer.”
He kept the audience enthralled when he questioned the part played by luck in life. “Do you need to be lucky to get what you want or is your destiny in your hands?” he asked.  “You need a stroke of luck to get what you want. Sure, you have to do your very best but there is no assurance of success, whatever your definition of success may be. The absence of the luck factor can deny you the rewards that you seek through your hard work and persistence. If that happens, just move on with your life. You would be wise to remember that the two opposites co-exist.”
He concluded by reiterating  that obligation is more important than entitlement, sharing his learnings on critical management lessons through mistakes and errors in judgment and the importance of being a good subordinate in order to be an even better boss.
“When your consciousness and focus in any relationship is driven by what the other person owes you rather than what you owe that person, then that is asymmetry. Such unbalanced expectations merit some thought because the asymmetry is the cause of strife and disappointment. It is extremely important for any good subordinate to think about the boss’ needs as much as he or she would like the boss to think of his or her need.” 
To earn the CFA charter, candidates must sequentially pass three six-hour examinations which are widely considered to be the most rigorous in the investment profession. The CFA curriculum includes ethical and professional standards, financial reporting and analysis, corporate finance, economics, quantitative methods, equity, fixed income, alternative investments, derivatives, portfolio management and wealth planning. Currently, more than 120,000 investment professionals in 149 nations and territories hold the CFA charter.