CFA Wants to Expand in the Middle East, and is Bullish on Saudi Arabia

The CFA Institute is working to expand its membership network in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia a key focus as the country opens up its financial markets and looks to diversify its investment industry.

The non-profit educational organization for chartered financial analysts aims to double the number of members in the kingdom to about 1,000 over the next three years, while also growing the pool of candidates by 20% a year, said Marg Franklin, its president and chief executive officer.