CIIA vs CFA

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wilier

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Hi All
I have a colleague considering doing CFA or CIIA.
I have googled stuff on CIIA (Certified Inernational Investment Analyst), but the information seems scant or inconsistent. Does anyone know how reputable this is?
How hard is it to pass this test?
wilier
 
I looked into it very briefly after seeing a job posting mentioning it… and I couldn’t even find out WHERE to write the exams in North America. So that doesn’t exactly bode well for global recognition. That said, I saw a couple of job postings mentioning it and I believe they were in Switzerland.
From what I saw it seemed pretty continental-Europe and Asia focused.
I don’t know about you, but I’m happy learning about just US GAAP and IFRS, and am happy to ignore until need arises what countries like Morocco, Ukraine, Greece, and Kazakhstan (as a small sample) have to say about accounting standards. (see the list of countries on their website for national recognition)
Also, the exams are offered in other languages than English apparently… so there is something to chew on I suppose.
Here is the link where I got my info a while ago: http://www.aciia.org/pages/home.asp
Short answer: Unless you live in continental Europe or Asia and the majority of your work is not involving the english-speaking world, I would do the CFA program.
But then, I suppose we’re all (just slightly) biased.
 
Sorry wilier, just saw from another post that you are in HK… so thought I would tailor my thoughts further.
Does your friend want mobility elsewhere in Asia or to NA/UK? If it’s NA/UK I would say 100% CFA, and if its elsewhere in Asia that your friend’s goals lie I wouldn’t claim to know, but still suspect that you absolutely cannot go wrong doing CFA.
 
I have never heard of the CIIA, but after reading the ethics portion of the study material of the CFA and the thread about “Tom is a CFA” in the Level 1 board.
My craving to use the CFA as a noun has been consuming me daily. Will CIIA allow me to use CIIA as a noun and prehaps the ability to call myself a Chartered International Investment Analyst???
(sorry for the post, i’m just really really bored from studying)
 
I’m pretty sure that CIIA will allow you to use the CIIA as a noun, verb, adverb, conjunction, disjunction and even an intransitive disconguitated post/past/pre - participle. Although, the later three require the CIIA holder to sign up for the “Deluxe” membership subscription from CIIA.
Willy
 
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