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Squired by the CFA Institute

CFA Institute relocates MD to Asia-Pacific to keep up with growth of new members.

With nearly a third of its total membership residing in Asia, CFA Institute has decided to increase its presence in the region and has re-located Dr. Jan Squires, CFA to oversee its Asia-Pacific operations. In what is a newly created role, Squires will relocate from Charlotesville, Virginia to Hong Kong to manage all CFA Institute activities in Asia.

This moves follows Squires six-year tenure as head of the CFA's examination department. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the construction of all three levels of the CFA examination, in addition to consulting on CF curriculum development, planning for CFA examination grading and promoting the institute on a global basis.

Squires will move to Hong Kong in September and report to Jeff Diermeier, CFA, president and CEO of CFA institute.

"It's a tremendously exciting time for CFA Institute in Asia," Squires comments. "We have a large and active base of CFA Institute members throughout the region. We've an established product in the CFA Programme that continues to gain recognition and appreciation in markets large and small."

And he adds, "Working closely with our member societies in the region, we're in a great position to participate in the further development of Asian financial markets. To be able to have a role in that development is an opportunity not to be missed, and I am very pleased to be asked to do so."

Before joining the books at the CFA Institute, Squires was closely involved with the organisation as a member volunteer and consultant for over a decade. During this time, he focused his energies on the construction of the CFA examination and development of its global curriculum. Additionally, this 10-year stretch included CFA examination grading ritual, which consists of two weeks at its Virginia headquarters.

Outside of the institute, Squires was a professor of finance and general business at Southwest Missouri State University.

According to the CFA Institute, more than 50% of currently enrolled candidates hail from outside the US. In China, the number of candidates sitting the exam has exploded from 135 in 2000 to close to 5,000 in June 2005, while Hong Kong boasts the fourth largest enrollment worldwide with 4,584 candidates.