Are looming troubled times driving more people to become qualified fund managers and intermediaries? Apparently not, experts say.
'So far we have not seen any major change in the enrolment figures for our licensing examinations,' says SF Wong, chief executive of the Hong Kong Securities Institute (HKSI), an independent professional organisation appointed by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) to develop and administer licensing examinations for the financial industry.
All licensed persons - representatives and responsible officers - carrying out so-called regulated activities (RA) are required to pass the relevant examinations and fulfil other requirements as stipulated by the SFC for licensing purposes.
Despite the static enrolment figures at HKSI, such qualifications are certainly an option for job-hunters, assuming that they have the appropriate skill-sets and professional interests.
'Usually, a fund manager is required to hold an RA9 licence, qualifying that individual to work in asset management. Depending on corporate structure, management process and actual involvement, the individual may need to hold other licences, such as an RA1 for dealing in securities, and an RA4 for advising on securities,' says Wong.
'In June, the SFC introduced the new RA10 licence for providing credit rating services - specifically, for credit rating analysts working in credit rating agencies [here].'