About CFA Society Singapore
CFA Society Singapore aims to cultivate excellence and integrity in the financial industry through educational programmes, networking events, and collaborative initiatives.
Members contribute to the Society through mentoring, career guidance, and university outreach.
As an integral part of the global CFA Institute network, we operate as a worldwide, not-for-profit organization with the collective aim of leading the global investment profession. This is achieved by promotng the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence.
Our objective is to create an environment that prioritises investor interests, optimises markets, and fosters flourishing economies. This mission thrives through the deciated efforts of our global network, including volunteers, regulators, and corporate partners.
Why Study With Us?
Synchronous Learning
As one of the only prep programmes that offer in-person classes, students get to benefit from regular interactions with instructors and peers, as well as receive personalised guidance.
Expert Guidance
Learn from a blended team of established practitioners and academics who bring invaluable real-world experience and perpective.
Peer Learning & Networking
Join a community and build your network as you learn alongside a diverse cohort of industry peers. Form valuable connections and continue converstaions beyond the programme.
Structured Approach
Benefit from time-saving strategies, focused study sessions, and targeted practice exams for efficient prepration.
CFA® Program
Path to Becoming a Charterholder
Enrolment Requirements
1. Meet one of the following enrolment requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent)
- Undergraduate Student
- Professional Work Experience
2. Have a vaild international travel passport
3. Be prepared to take the exams in English
4. Meet the Professional Conduct Admission Criteria
Why Attend?
The CFA Level 1 Exam is known for its intensity and level of commitment, requiring an investment of over 300 hours spent studying with a low pass rate of 40%. Success lies not only in knowledge acquisition buy also in the strategic approach taken in your preparation.
Who Should Attend?
- Aspiring individuals with no financial background seeking a solid grouding in finance
- Individuals who find self-study challenging and wish to benefit from a structured and guided approach
- Busy professionals and students juggling multiple commitments
Key Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate knowledge of various investment principles and products
- Analyse and evaluate finance statements
- Analyse the macroeconomic environment and microeconomic structure of industry and firm
- Demonstrate understanding of valuation of various asset classes and derivatives
- Understand and apply the CFA Institute Code and Standards
Course Delivery
*Only included in the IBF Funded Preparatory Programme.
20 classroom sessions, totalling 70 hours
Recorded lectures for self-revision
Comprehensive slides with illustrated examples
Six revision classes, totalling 21 hours*
Online timed mock exam to simulate exam conditions
IBF Assessment*
2024 Level 1 Topics
- Ethical and Professional Standards
- Quantitative Methods
- Economics
- Finance Statement Analysis
- Corporate Issuers
- Equity Investments
- Fixed Income
- Derivatives
- Alernative Investments
- Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning
Difference in Offerings
Course Fees
*Fees are not inclusive of GST
IBF Funding Breakdown
Non-IBF Funding Breakdown
NOTE:
CFA Society Singapore is operating this programme on a nett fee model. Self-sponsored or company-sponsored individuals who fail to complete the programme (meet a minimum of 75% attendance and pass the IBF assessment) will be disqualified from IBF funding and must pay the balance of the programme fees.
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About The Institute of Banking & Finance (IBF)
The Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF) was established in 1974 as a non-for-profit industry association to foster and develop the professional competencies of the financial industry. IBF represents the interests of close 200 member financial institutions including banks, insurance companies, securities brokerages and asset management firms. In partnership with the finance industry, government agencies, training providers and the trade unions, IBF is committed to equip practitioners with capabilities to support the growth of Singapore’s financial industry.
IBF is the national accreditation and cerification agency for financial industry competency in Singapore under the Skills Framework for Financial Services, which were developed in partnership with the industry. Individuals who complete the IBF-accredited skills training programmes and meet the relevant criteria may apply for IBF Certification.
About the IBF Standards
The IBF Standards represents a set of competency standards developed by the industry, for the industry. It provides a practice-oriented development roadmap for financial sector practitioners to attain the necessary training to excel in their respective job roles. Covering 12 industry segments spanning more than 50 soecialisations, the IBF Standards offers a comprehensive suite of accredited training and assessment programmes to guide a financial sector practitioner from licensing examations on through to professional certification across 3-levels: IBF Qualified (for new entrants); IBF Advanced (for senior practitioners and specialists); IBF Fellows (for industry veterans).
IBF Standards Training Scheme (IBF-STS)
This CFA Singapore Level 1 Preparatory Programme has been accreditied under the IBF Standards and is eligible for funding under the IBF Standards Training Scheme (IBF-STS), subject to all eligility criteria being met. Candidates are advised to assess the suitability of the programme and its relevance to their business activities or job roles.
About IBF Certification
Participants who successfully complete this course can apply to be conferred the IBF Qualified (IBFQ) certification status.
Find out more about IBF certification and the application process at https://www.ibf.org.sg/home/for-individuals/ibf-certification/why-be-ibf-certified.
Eligibility Criteria for IBF-STS
Eligible Partcipants
Applicants must:
- Be a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident, physcially based in Singapore. This scheme is available for both self-sponsored and company-sponsored individuals.
- Successfully complete the training programme, including passing all relevant assessments and examinations, with at least 75% of class attended.
Noted: CFA Society Singapore is currently operating this programme on a nett fee model. Pacticipants will pay the unsubsidised portion of the course fees including GST.
Funding Quantum
This programme has been accredited under the IBF Standards, and is eligible for funding under the IBF Standards Training Scheme (IBF-STS), subject to all eligibility criteria being met.
IBF-STS provides 50% funding for direct training costs, subject to a cap od S$3,000 oer candidate per programme, for all Singaporeans and Singapore PRs who are physically based in Singapore. Singapore Citizens aged 40 years old and above will be eligible for 70% co-funding of direct training costs.
For more information on funding, IBF Certification and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements, please visit www.ibf.org.sg.
Our Instructors
Allen Cheong, CFA, a former investment banker, has over two decades of corporate finance and investment experience across geographies, sectors and cycles, and worked in market-leading financial institutions such as DBS Bank, OCBC Bank and Daiwa Capital Markets. A veteran finance professional with an established track record in fund raisings, IPOs and M&As, Allen provides advisory and training services to corporates, financial and educational institutions.
He is currently a trainer for CFA Singapore and an adjunct faculty for Singapore University of Social Sciences. He has participated as panel judge for finance competitions such as CFA Institute Research Challenge and Singapore University Ethics Challenge.
Allen graduated with MBA from Chicago Booth School of Business, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst®, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and Chartered Valuer and Appraiser. He recently completed the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. Allen applies his lifelong passion for learning, training and mentoring to the financial industry. Outside of work, he is an active volunteer serving as Chairman to a grassroot organisation and a mentor to finance professionals and undergraduate students.
Audrey Yong, CFA graduated with a Masters in Applied Finance from Singapore Management University in January 2008 and is also a recipient of the prestigious UOB Group Scholarship Award. She also earned the internationally accredited CFA® designation as an investment and credit analyst with several privately held multi-national companies, which marks her as an investment professional.
Audrey has been an associate lecturer with SUSS (formerly UniSIM) since 2009 and is also an associate lecturer with other private education institutions and financial education providers. As a lecturer, Audrey has a track record of positive student feedback spanning well over 13 years. Her portfolio of modules taught includes Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Modelling, Financial Accounting, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Financial Instruments, Institutions and Markets, Financial Analysis for Managers, Portfolio Management, Tax and Estate Planning, Valuation and Securities Analysis, Asset Pricing, Retirement Planning and Financial Plan Construction.
Dr. Janet Liu, CFA is a highly experienced professional with 17 years of expertise in the financial industry, specializing in Global Markets, Wealth Management, and FinTech. She has a proven track record in driving successful business strategies, spearheading wealth management initiatives, leading digital transformations, and overseeing cross-border/offshore operations.
Beginning her career at Deloitte as a consultant, Janet transitioned to Global Markets Sales before joining Citi. During her tenure at Citi, she held various key roles within the wealth management business across prominent locations such as Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and the APAC/EMEA Regional Office. Additionally, she made significant contributions to the Regional Retail Bank Strategy. Notably, she established two innovative WealthTech solutions. Her most recent position was as the Investment Head at OCBC.
Janet has a strong background as an internal trainer for new employees in the banking industry, imparting her knowledge and expertise to develop talent within the organization. She also served as an associate faculty member for the Singapore University of Social Sciences Finance-Master Program. Her educational background includes a BSc (Hon) in Applied Physics (Management Science; minor in Mathematics) and an MSc in Economics from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She furthered her academic journey and attained a Doctor of Business Administration from the Singapore University of Social Sciences. She also holds the designations of Chartered Financial Analyst, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst, and Chartered FinTech Professional.
Dr. Liu’s unique blend of practical experience in the financial industry, academic achievements, and teaching background equips her with the skills necessary to effectively teach and prepare aspiring professionals for the CFA exam. Her deep understanding of global markets, wealth management, and FinTech, coupled with her ability to drive successful business strategies, makes her an invaluable resource for students seeking to excel in their CFA Level I preparation.
Kok Kah Fai, CFA, CIPM, is Head of APAC for BCA and Ned Davis Research, both industry leading independent investment research/solutions providers within Delinian. These research insights drives many of the investment management and asset allocation decisions across traditional asset managers, alternatives, wealth managers, banks and asset owners.
His prior experience included building out the Asia/APAC businesses for Rimes Technologies (a market leader in investment/ESG data management), RiskMetrics (ex-JP Morgan Risk Analytics now part of MSCI) as well as Bloomberg Portfolio Analytics (PORT). His subject matter expertise includes investment analysis, portfolio construction/backtesting and portfolio credit/market risk methodologies (CreditMetrics/RiskMetrics), including historical/predictive stress testing. He is also certified in performance attribution analysis including methodologies for equities, fixed income and balanced portfolio, as well as GIPS requirements. Kah Fai also delivers foundational financial literacy training via Credit Counselling Singapore and AIDHA.
Kah Fai graduated summa cum laude in Mechanical Engineering & Aerospace Engineering, with a Certificate in Engineering Management Science, from Princeton University. He is also a Member of Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi Honor Societies. His professional certifications include the CFA® designation, Professional Risk Manager (PRM) and Certificate in Performance Measurement (CIPM).
Lena Li Bingqiao, CFA, graduated from Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2015 with the degree of PhD in Business (Finance). She currently works as a Lecturer in the Accountancy undergraduate degree program at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore’s fifth autonomous university. Her main research interests lie in the area of Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance.
Before joining SIT, Lena was an adjunct lecturer at Curtin University, Singapore campus. As part of her teaching experience, she teaches and develops various modules including Foundations of Finance, Managerial Finance, Business Valuation and Analysis, Introductory Economics, etc. She has also been involved as teaching assistant in various master programs during her PhD training in SMU.
Phoebe Gao is a lecturer at Singapore Institute of Technology. She taught classes in Statistics/Quantitative Analysis, Investment and Risk Analysis, and Derivatives. She graduated with a PhD in Business (Finance) from Singapore Management University and M.Phil and B.Sc in Risk Management Science with a minor in Mathematics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Her research interests include asset pricing, risk management, alternative data, and machine learning. Her current research covers information flow between equity market and options market, the evolution of exchange traded funds, investor behaviors and analyst forecast sentiment under policy changes. With her knowledge on alternative data and other newer machine learning methods, she focuses on non-linearity models and conducts workshops in advanced research methods.
Phoebe also provides consultancy in reviewing derivative contracts valuation with auditors and quantitative trading strategies with portfolio managers. Phoebe is a reviewer for European Financial Management.
Phuah Keng Keat, CFA, FRM is currently an equity analyst working for a multi-family office – Kamet Capital based in Singapore. He mainly covered stocks in technology, banking, healthcare and consumer staple sectors. Prior to that, he was a sell side analyst in Voyage Research Pte Ltd, covering small and mid-cap companies listed in Singapore.
Keng Keat received a Master of Science in Risk and Investment Management from EDHEC Business School in 2013 and has been a CFA® charterholder since 2012. He is also a Financial Risk Manager (FRM) holder since 2010.
Yeap Lay Huay has more than 15 years of industry experience across management and financial accounting, and auditing roles largely in the banking industry. She has worked in PricewaterhouseCoopers, DBS Bank and Barclays Group.
In her last corporate role as Finance Vice President in Barclays Wealth AMEA (Asia, Middle East and Africa Offshore), she headed the Business Planning & Analysis team to support business in the financial performance reporting, strategic planning and budgeting. She was one of the key members of the Finance work-stream to support the successful completion of the sale of Singapore and Hong Kong booking centers.
Lay Huay is currently working as Senior Lecturer at the Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore’s fifth autonomous university. She teaches various financial accounting modules in the Accountancy undergraduate degree program. She is one of the recipients of the Singapore Institute of Technology Teaching Excellence Award for two consecutive years, Academic Years 2018-19 and 2019-20. As part of her teaching experience, Lay Huay was an adjunct lecturer at Singapore University of Social Sciences, Nanyang Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic.