The Toronto-based Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) has partnered with the Association of International Wealth Management (AIWM), a Zurich-based international non-profit organization for wealth management professionals, to bring the world-recognized Certified International Wealth Manager (CIWM) designation to Canada.
The partnership marks the launch of the world’s leading wealth management credentialing program in North America.
“The Certified International Wealth Manager designation, a global standard in wealth management proficiency, is a game-changer in the North American market, raising the bar in the professionalization of wealth management advice,” says Simon Parmar, managing director, CSI.
The CIWM designation, originally launched in Switzerland in 2007 and well-established in Europe and Asia, is recognized around the world.
It targets investment advisors, private bankers and other professionals working in the wealth management industry and can be adopted by financial institutions as the highest training standard for wealth management personnel across their international platforms.
The CIWM fully addresses the wealth management needs of affluent clients, offering knowledge in combination with practical skill-based training focusing on investments, risk management, domestic and international taxation, retirement strategies, estate and trust planning, and client relationship management.
In Canada alone, the number of affluent individuals is projected to double by 2020 to more than one million Canadian households with investible assets of over one million dollars, the CSI notes.
The CSI says Chartered Strategic Wealth Professional (CSWP) designation holders will be transitioned to the CIWM designation, and CSI and AIWM will exclusively award the CIWM designation moving forward.
The CSI is leading provider of financial services education and credentials, and offers more than 100 courses, such as the well-known Canadian Securities Course (CSC), 11 certificate programs, and popular specialized financial designations.