With the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic being felt around the globe, the CFA Society® community has stepped up and continued to deliver value to key local stakeholders.
CFA Society Istanbul has launched several initiatives virtually, with some recent examples of success highlighted below.
2021 Macroeconomic Expectations Panel
On 8 December 2020, CFA Society Istanbul hosted its annual Macroeconomic Expectations Panel virtually for the first time since this was initiated 11 years ago.
The local society secured industry expert speakers, including Professor Özlem Bayraktar Gökşen, Dr. Refet Gürkaynak, and Dr. E. Murat Üçer. CFA Society Istanbul board member, Elif Emirli Altuğ, CFA, moderated the panel discussion and society president, Onursal Yazar, CFA, opened the event.
The local society had a record number of registrants, 500, of which 270 joined.
CFA Society Istanbul Mentorship Program
CFA Society Istanbul initiated its first Mentorship Program in the last quarter of 2020, in partnership with One World Consulting. Applications were submitted in October 2020 and the program was initiated with 11 mentees and 11 mentors.
Mentees in the program receive feedback from experienced professionals, get career development support, enhanced networking opportunities and an increased focus and motivation. Mentors are able to improve their coaching, management and leadership skills, give back to the local society in a direct and highly rewarding way, and enhance networking opportunities.
Virtual mentee and mentor training sessions have been provided by a professional recruiter, experienced in mentor programs. Discussion focused on what a mentor and mentee is and how to ask the right questions.
CFA Society Istanbul Promotes Ethics in Regulators, Companies and Universities
This year, CFA Society Istanbul held four virtual Ethics Workshops for 298 attendants from the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Treasury and Finance, Central Bank of Turkey, Capital Markets Board of Turkey, Turkish Court of Accounts and Banking Regulation, Supervision Agency, and many companies and universities in Turkey.
The workshops gave participants the opportunity to test their ethical decision-making skills, with short cases based on real-world scenarios, and also created awareness about the importance of ethics in investment. Sonia Gandhi, CFA, CFA Institute hosted the enlightening workshops.
7th Women in Finance Panel in Turkey
This year, CFA Society Istanbul hosted its 7th Women in Finance panel on 16 February with inspiring and dynamic young women leaders in finance. The moderator was local society board member, Alper Alkan, CFA, and 87 participants joined the event.
In order to create a more interactive environment, the local society held a poll of five questions about Women in Finance. One was about the first woman CEO of CFA Institute and another one was about the percentage of women in boards of Istanbul Stock Exchange listed companies. CFA Society Istanbul sent small gifts to the participants who answered the latter correctly.
İlke Takımoğlu Homriş, CFA, Executive Director, CFA Society Istanbul, said: "We are very happy with the interest in these events. Each year we are doing our best to deliver a more diverse inclusion in terms of speakers from various industries related to finance, and increase the engagement of our members and prospective members.”
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