CSI Global Education to confer Chartered Strategic Wealth Professional
designation in China

Expanding financial education and credentialing demonstrates the professionalization of financial advice as growing trend

TORONTO, Dec. 3 /CNW/ - CSI Global Education (CSI), a Toronto-based premier global provider of financial education and compliance solutions, is conferring its wealth management designation, the Chartered Strategic Wealth Professional (CSWP), to the first group of financial advisors from China on December 3, 2010.

Twenty-seven financial professionals from Guangfa Securities, one of the five largest securities firms in China, will be awarded the CSWP designation at the graduation ceremony in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, hosted by Guangfa Securities and executive representatives of the Securities Association of China (SAC).

"This graduation of the first cohort of students being awarded the CSI Chartered Strategic Wealth Professional (CSWP) designation in China is an important milestone. The professionalization of financial services is critical for the integrity, stability and viability of the global capital markets," says Dr. Roberta Wilton, President and CEO of CSI Global Education. "China, which recently overtook Japan as the world's second largest economy, is continuing along the path of global economic leadership. Capital flows between China, Canada and the rest of the world are having an increasingly significant impact across the closely integrated capital markets."

The CSI standards for content, teaching methodology and maintenance requirements for the CSWP are consistent internationally. Core elements of the CSWP designation include:

• Rigorous proficiency and assessment requirements;
• Adherence to a code of ethics and licensing agreement;
• Annual membership renewal and proof of good standing;
• Continuing education requirements; and
• Inclusion into CSI's member directory.

"In China, CSI has advanced the reputation of Canada's financial services industry and positioned it as being the world's best," says Emilio Sánchez, Senior Vice President, International & Corporate Development for CSI. "The CSWP program is a powerful blueprint for global corporate education in the financial services industry."

The introduction of the CSWP wealth management designation in China follows CSI's five-year partnership with its Chinese colleagues:

• CSI is the official education partner of the Securities Association of China (SAC) for Canada.
• To date, CSI has trained over a thousand of China's securities professionals, and opened its first China office in Shanghai in 2009.
• Since 2005, CSI has been working with many of China's largest securities firms and has introduced these firms to Canada's capital markets.  
• CSI offers training programs to China's top financial services professionals in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and throughout China.
• The programs address timely content and proven principles in the areas of wealth management, brokerage operations, investment and portfolio management, investment banking, M&A, risk management, and compliance, among others.

About CSI

2010 marks CSI's 40th anniversary as Canada's premier provider of professional qualifications and compliance solutions helping more than 700,000 financial professionals reach their career goals. CSI offers over 170 courses and credentials ranging from the well-known Canadian Securities Course (CSC)® to the Personal Financial Planner (PFP)® and Chartered Strategic Wealth Professional (CSWP)™ designations.  Valued for its expertise in Canada, CSI also partners with organizations worldwide to provide financial services consulting and training.

In November 2010, CSI Global Education was acquired by Moody's Corporation and operates under the CSI Global Education name as a business unit within the Moody's Analytics division. For more information, please visit www.csi.ca.

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