On September 5, 2025, the Faculty of Finance at City University of Macau held the "CFA Society Hong Kong Information Session." The event was attended by distinguished guests including Mr. Kerr Poon and Ms. Joyce Yim, respectively the Chair and a representative of the University Outreach Committee of CFA Society Hong Kong; Ms. Sandy Li, a representative of the CFA Institute; CFA study group mentors Dr. Francis Lau and Dr. K.P. Wat; Mr. Redfield Cheong, a representative of CFA Society Macau; as well as Prof. Adrian Cheung, Dean of the Faculty of Finance, along with Assistant Professors Dr. Xue Lifei and Dr. Ma Xingshu.

Dean Adrian Cheung inaugurated the session with a warm welcome to the CFA Society Hong Kong delegation. He emphasized the importance of the event, urging students to leverage the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the CFA program and strategically align their academic pursuits with long-term professional goals.

Mr. Kerr Poon provided an overview of CFA Society Hong Kong. Founded in 1992, it has become the largest CFA society in the Asia-Pacific region and ranks as the fifth largest globally. Its core membership includes professionals from leading international financial institutions such as HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Bank of China, UBS, and Citigroup. The society is dedicated not only to advancing the finance industry through professional expertise but also to supporting students by offering essential knowledge and career guidance.

Ms. Sandy Li delivered a detailed presentation on the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the Certificate in Sustainable Investing (previously known as the ESG Investing Certificate). She outlined the steps to become a CFA charterholder, key exam registration dates and fees, subsidy policies available from the Macau government, and scholarship opportunities provided by the CFA Institute.

To enhance candidate preparedness, CFA Society Hong Kong facilitates structured study groups. Dr. Francis Lau elaborated on the support mechanisms provided by these groups, announcing plans to organize Level I mock exams and Level III exam workshops in the near term.

Ms. Joyce Yim introduced the forthcoming 2025–26 CFA Institute Research Challenge, a competition engaging university students to conduct in-depth analyses of publicly listed companies under the mentorship of industry practitioners and academic advisors, culminating in actionable investment recommendations. Since 2005, CFA Society Hong Kong has coordinated the Hong Kong leg of the challenge, with the 2024–25 edition drawing participation from 28 teams across 14 universities in Hong Kong and Macau. Participants gain access to additional benefits, including mock interview training and internship referrals.

Mr. Redfield Cheong provided insights into the CFA Institute’s activities in Macau. He also invited Simon, a member of the Macau team that progressed to the Asia-Pacific round of the 2023 Global Investment Research Challenge, to share his experience in the competition and to discuss how the CFA program has contributed to his career development.

The Q&A session was dynamic and interactive. Students posed a wide range of questions regarding CFA preparation and career development in finance. Practical concerns included how to join study groups, detailed requirements for each of the three exam levels, and how to schedule exams efficiently. Broader discussions covered the long-term value of the CFA designation, including how it supports further education, enhances competitiveness in the financial job market, and effective strategies and techniques for exam preparation. The guests provided thorough, experience-based responses, integrating professional insights that helped students form a clearer picture of potential pathways in the field of finance.