CISI announces members of new Sri Lanka National Advisory Council

The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) has announced the members of its new National Advisory Committee for Sri Lanka

The Committee is chaired by Nihal Fonseka – General Manager / Director & Chief Executive, DFCC Bank PLC and also Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange.

The Advisory committee plays a vital role in the success of the CISI, both through maintaining and developing the membership base and by providing opportunities for CISI to establish a market for its qualifications, with a view to contribute to the country’s wider capacity building initiatives in the financial services space.

  The aim of the committee is also to support the provision of continuing professional development opportunities and social and networking events for CISI Sri Lankan members, including professional seminars and industry debates.

The CISI opened its new international office in Colombo on 1 March 2011. In addition to offering its acclaimed financial qualifications to students and industry professionals alike the Colombo office will also serve as an administrative hub for the Middle East and South East Asia region. This is the Institute’s fourth international office, in addition to representative offices in Dubai, India and Singapore.

The CISI is the largest and most widely respected professional body for those who work in the investment industry, providing progressive qualifications, training and membership activities and is the principal examining body for the industry. Every year, over 40,000 examinations are taken in more than 50 countries around the world by candidates who are employed by 92% of the world’s top banks.

Nihil Fonseka, Chairman of the CISI National Advisory Committee said: “As more and more people in Sri Lanka start to invest in stocks and other securities it is important that there are enough qualified people to provide them sound advice as such people are in short supply at the moment. This is crucial for the sustainability of the market. The entry of CISI is very welcome in this context.”

The Institute offers individuals the opportunity to achieve core competence and foster strong careers in capital markets, investment banking, wealth management, investment management, investment operations and Islamic Finance, through a range of qualifications suitable for professionals working across all international markets.

Simon Culhane, Chartered FCSI and CISI CEO, said: “With the Sri Lankan financial market growing at a rapid pace, there is the need to develop a pool of skilled individuals who can meet the demand from financial firms and stockbrokers as the market expands. Those who successfully complete a CISI qualification will have the necessary foundation knowledge to work in the international and domestic securities and investment houses.”

The CISI’s mission is to help members attain, maintain and develop their knowledge and skills and to promote the highest standards of ethics and integrity in the securities and investment industry.

Evolved from the London Stock Exchange, we now have more than 40,000 members in 89 countries. CISI exams are taken by 92% of the world’s banks and in the past year we set almost 40,000 examinations in 75 countries, covering a range of vocational qualifications.

Based in the City of London, CISI is a global organisation with representative offices in financial centres such as Dublin, Singapore, Dubai, Mumbai and Colombo.  We work in close cooperation with regulators, firms and other professional bodies worldwide.