On November 16, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society Korea held a seminar on finance and investments at the Alumni Venture Hall (N22). The CFA Institute, the parent organization of CFA Society Korea, is a non-profit global institute in finance education. They administer the CFA program and award the title CFA Charterholder to finance professionals who meet their standards. The CFA Charterholder designation is widely regarded as one of the most respected and recognized credentials in the field of finance. Currently, there are 190,000 active charterholders in 162 markets. CFA Society Korea is one of the 160 regional associations of the CFA Institute and consists of local charterholders holding high ranks within the country's top asset management firms, securities, and investment organizations.

Over the last few years, the CFA Institute has been paying closer attention to identifying potential charterholders with STEM backgrounds due to the rise of financial technology firms and the extensive developments of machine learning and artificial intelligence. 

The event was opened by Dean Hangjung Zo of the School of Business and Technology Management. CFA Society Korea invited their executive director, Sehwan Kang, and four CFA charterholders: Sungho Ha, Simmone Investment Manager; Myeongeun Lee, NVESTOR Leadership Officer and a KAIST alumnus; Kyle Lim, McKinsey & Company AI Specialist/Consultant; and Hyukyul Choi, KORAMCO Asset Management Co. Architect.

Director Kang first introduced the various programs and certificates offered by the CFA Institute, including their costs, contents, benefits, and applications. This was followed by the success stories of the invited charterholders. The speakers emphasized the versatility of hard skills in finance and their complementary nature to any commercial discipline. The event proceeded with a panel discussion based on the audiences’ questions, covering topics such as the applications of finance to startups, the influence of being a CFA charterholder, and the career opportunities in transdisciplinary industries with a finance education.

CFA Society Korea highlighted their interest in KAIST students and graduates and expressed their intent to continue stimulating KAISTians' passion in finance.