Heo Kyung-wook, former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has been officially appointed as a member of the Board of Governors of the CFA Institute, the global organization for Chartered Financial Analysts, becoming the first Korean to do so.
According to the CFA Society Korea on the 25th, former Vice Minister Heo noted that he was elected as a governor on the board during the CFA Institute's global members' meeting held on the 22nd of last month (local time). Heo will begin his term in September, which will last for three years, with the possibility of one renewal.
The CFA Institute is a global organization promoting financial ethics and professionalism, with approximately 210,000 CFA charterholders in over 160 countries and 158 local associations. The board is the highest decision-making body that determines organizational strategy, ethical standards, qualification systems, and educational direction, consisting of a total of 14 members.
Former Vice Minister Heo, a graduate of the 22nd Civil Service Examination, has held various positions, including the Vice Minister and Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), after working for the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He became the first Korean civil servant to obtain the CFA designation in 1999.
Former Vice Minister Heo said, "Through this role, I want to widely promote the attractiveness of the Korean financial market to the international community and serve as a bridge to convey global financial trends to our country," adding, "I will contribute to fostering talents capable of responding to new financial paradigms such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG), artificial intelligence (AI), and digital assets, while also innovating systems."
Jeong Dong-woo, president of the CFA Society Korea, noted, "This appointment is a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate the growth potential of the Korean financial industry and its international stature to the world," expressing, "I hope that more Korean youth and professionals will challenge themselves for the CFA qualification and grow into global financial talents."