pRESIdEnT’S COLUMn
Advance your career,
strengthen our industry
Although the industry looks set to end the year on a much more positive note
than it started, it has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult periods in
the working lives of financial services professionals, globally. And, as Alistair
Darling, the UK finance minister indicated at the most recent G20 meeting
in St. Andrews, Scotland, ‘We are not out of the woods yet’.
WhIlE It hAs bEEN well-recognised that our latest report on industry talent management issues
financial institutions have fared much better during (conducted with the Chandler MacLeod Group),
the financial crisis than almost anywhere else in which was launched recently, Broadening horizons –
the developed world, this does not mean that the investing in talent.
domestic industry and the talented professionals In addition, Finsia has delivered a very
working within it have not and will not continue comprehensive and widely acclaimed professional
to face significant challenges (as well as development program through the year, culminating
opportunities) ahead. in our sold-out Financial Services Conference, held
Finsia has been working extremely hard all year in late October, which included keynote speakers
to provide the sorts of career services and policy from the highest levels within the industry, as well as
support, as well as the information and networking several of the most senior regulators within Australia
opportunities that our members are urgently seeking. and internationally.
Our recent initiatives have received very favourable As part of our continuing effort to better serve
responses from across the industry, as evidenced the evolving needs of our members, we conducted
by factors such as our record membership renewals. an extensive member and industry research project
We have launched a range of important new during 2009. This has informed the development of