Research and Policy Center Five Most Popular Articles of 2023: Future of the Profession

Future State of the Investment Industry draws the most clicks in 2023.

The CFA Institute Research and Policy Center (RPC) focuses on four forward-looking research themes to drive content engagement, action, and outcomes. These themes are Capital Markets (Strengthening the Structural Resiliency of Capital Markets); Technology (Understanding the Latest Developments in Data Analytics, Technology, and Automation); Industry Future (Providing New Insights into the Future of the Profession); and Sustainability (Advancing the Industry’s Thinking on Sustainability Challenges).

What follows are the most popular top five articles of 2023 that align with the Future of the Profession theme published on the RPC since its inception. Providing New Insights into the Future of the Profession focuses less on disruptions to the industry and more on changes from within the industry. It addresses the industry, its efforts to transform itself for the better, and its relationship to the broader investment ecosystem. Our research explores the innovation required for investment organizations and investment professionals to be positioned for future success.

1. Future State of the Investment Industry

This report frames the most significant developments that will affect the investment industry in the next five to 10 years and provides a road map for investment professionals to navigate the changes and improve client outcomes.

2. “Gen Z and Investing: Social Media, Crypto, FOMO, and Family”

This research — produced through a collaboration between the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and CFA Institute and executed in partnership with Zeldis Research Associates — examines Gen Z’s attitudes and behaviors around investing. It is based on data from a November and December 2022 online survey of 2,872 Gen Zs aged 18 to 25, Millennials, and Gen Xers.

3. “Financial Promotions on Social Media (GC23/2)”

In this comment letter, CFA Institute, represented by Olivier Fines, CFA, and Serena Espeute, and the CFA Society of the UK (CFA UK), represented by Will Goodhart and Andrew Burton, respond jointly to the consultation on financial promotion on social media by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) of the United Kingdom.

4. “The Audit Gender Gap: Has It Narrowed?”

A 2018 CFA Institute study found that women rarely run the biggest audits at Big Four accounting firms. In this report, Sandra J. Peters, CPA, CFA, examines updated data to determine whether the gap has changed and how much progress is still needed.

5. “Rhodri Preece, CFA, and Ryan Munson: Future State of the Investment Industry Podcast”

In this episode of Guiding Assets, host Mike Wallberg, CFA, speaks with Rhodri Preece, CFA, and Ryan Munson from the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center about the Future State of the Investment Industry report. The report explores four potential scenarios for the industry and how it may be shaped in the next five to 10 years. They discuss the goals of the report and the underlying research process, and provide valuable insights into the major trends and disruptors affecting the investment industry.

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All posts are the opinion of the author. As such, they should not be construed as investment advice, nor do the opinions expressed necessarily reflect the views of CFA Institute or the author’s employer.

Image credit: ©Getty Images / Allan Baxter

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