In this episode Moe Khuen, interviews two CFA Institute leaders, Dana Day and Brenda Hou. Dana, Global Managing Director of Business Development, shares her experience of returning to CFA Institute after an absence and highlights the organization's resilience during challenging times. Brenda, Head of Global Partnerships and Client Solutions, discusses the expansion of CFA Institute's learning products globally, including certifications in ESG investing, data science, and private markets. The conversation emphasizes the importance of building a community for impact and influence, with examples of successful collaborations between CFA societies and the Institute in different regions, such as programs in Malaysia, partnerships in Korea, and an innovative Mentors Program in Chengdu, China. The podcast concludes with gratitude for the vital role societies play in the success of CFA Institute.

Three special guests: Susan Spinner, CEO of CFA Society Germany, Ashraf El-Khatib Vice President of CFA Society Egypt, and Maja Vlejo, President of CFA Society Croatia, join Moe Khuen to discuss their experiences at the EMEA SLC conference. Highlights include the well-composed panels, diverse and engaging sessions, and the impact of CFA scholarships. Ashraf emphasizes the importance of networking and job opportunities for members, citing examples from Egypt. Maja discusses the significance of returning to operational and governance excellence to add value to members. Susan shares her insights on the strategic board session at the conference, emphasizing the importance of governance, board nomination processes, and the challenges faced by societies of all sizes. This podcast episode provides a glimpse into the conference's content, key takeaways, and the shared experiences of society leaders from different regions.

Three society Presidents from the Americas region share valuable insights into the conference and their takeaways as leaders from different society segments. Kwame Boateng of CFA Society Okanagan represents a local society. Kanna Sriskanthan, of CFA Society Stamford, represents a member society and Odrée Ducharme from CFA Society Montreal, represents a professional society. This episode offers a unique and informative perspective for the audience, providing valuable insights into the topics of delivering value to members, identifying strategic opportunities or challenges and how each leader plans to discuss these topics with their respective boards.

Paul Andrews talks about the newly launched Research and Policy Center at CFA Institute, which aims to be a strong voice for change in the industry. The center will focus on transforming information into action and influence, and will serve as a "think and do tank." 

Chris Wiese and Ivy Xu join us to discuss a variety of topics related to the CFA Program, which has seen the expansion of eligibility requirements and a focus on curriculum. The changes have been well-received, with third-year students surpassing fourth-year students in the program and performing as well as recent graduates. Ivy talks about the new candidate experience, which has been introduced to provide support for candidates. Society plays an important role in this experience, and further enhancements are being made to the candidate experience strategy.

Tom Berry talks about CFA Institute's brand positioning, value, and awareness. The brand refresh is focused on adapting the brand for the digital future and extending its reach into new audiences and markets. The podcast also mentions the completion timeline for the brand rollout and the need to provide societies with tailored resources and assets for implementation.

Stephanie Field & Rachel LeWitt provide an overview of the Higher Logic platform and CFA Institute's community strategy, explaining how the platform allows society leaders to connect globally and share best practices. They emphasize the need for society leaders to utilize the platform to both connect with other leaders and enhance their ability to serve their members and candidates.

Julie Emerson, the newly appointed Head of Global Society Relations and Operations at CFA Institute, discusses her excitement about the opportunities and potential for growth within the society network. She also highlights the importance of connecting society leaders and leveraging their expertise to benefit CFA Institute. The podcast mentions the launch of the Higher Logic Society leadership community as a platform for peer-to-peer connections and knowledge sharing. Additionally, Julie mentions the possibilities of co-curating content with societies and engaging smaller cohorts to have a greater impact in local markets.

Randi Tolber and Jennifer Taylor talk about the FY24 (and beyond) membership strategy vision. They discuss the results of a survey conducted to understand member needs and identify areas for improvement. The survey revealed that members struggle to find high-quality resources to stay up-to-date in a fast-changing industry. They also found that member satisfaction is below that of other professional associations. The podcast highlights the importance of delivering value to younger members and emphasizes the value of society membership.

In this podcast episode recorded at the 2023 AMER Society Leadership Conference, Moe Khuen interviews Sue Thompson and Marg Franklin about their careers in the finance industry. They discuss their humble beginnings and how they found their way into the investment business. They also talk about the lack of female representation in the industry and the importance of having role models and allies. Patty Dunn is highlighted as an influential figure for both Thompson and Franklin.