CFA Institute Honors Four Individuals for Extraordinary Leadership and Service in the Investment Profession
At a time when CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence, is leading investment professionals in building a stronger, more trustworthy industry, the organization has announced the recipients of its annual CFA Institute Awards for their outstanding contributions to the investment profession. The Nominating Committee of the CFA Institute Board of Governors leads the effort to recognize individuals in the CFA Institute community for their exemplary leadership, impactful contributions, longstanding service, and commitment to ethics and standards. Award presentations began in June and will continue taking place in the coming months at events in Germany and the United States.
The award winners are:
- Andrew Abouchar, CFA, founder and partner of Tech Capital Partners, receives the Outstanding Contribution to CFA Institute Education Programs Award, in honor of C. Stewart Sheppard, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to encourage continuing education in the profession.
- Alan Meder, CFA, senior managing director and chief risk officer of Duff & Phelps, receives the Distinguished Service Award, in honor of Alfred C. “Pete” Morley, in recognition of significant contribution to CFA Institute through leadership, stewardship, and outstanding service.
- Mark Harbour, CFA, owner of a Los Angeles Morgan Stanley financial advisory practice, receives the Leadership in Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Award, in honor of Daniel J. Forrestal III, in recognition of championing the pursuit of excellence in professional ethics and standards of practice.
- Antti Ilmanen, manager of AQR’s Portfolio Solutions Group, receives the Leadership in Global Investment Award, in honor of Thomas L. Hansberger, in recognition of his notable contributions to championing integration and cooperation among investment organizations and capital markets worldwide.
“As we continue our work to reclaim investor trust and build a stronger investment management profession, I have challenged investment professionals around the globe to raise professionalism in the industry to a higher level,” said Paul Smith, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute.
“The individuals that we honor today embody this ‘new professionalism’ through their extraordinary leadership, service, and standard of practice. I am proud of the work that they’ve done and will continue to do in the industry, and encourage my fellow colleagues to work toward this example of excellence.”
Andrew Abouchar, CFA, is founder and partner of Tech Capital Partners. He serves as a director on the boards of Sidense and Ecobee, and has also been a director of Sirific Wireless (acquired by Icera Inc.) and VideoLocus (acquired by LSI). Abouchar is an advisor to both the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, and serves on the board of Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). Abouchar is a CFA charterholder, a member of CFA Society Toronto, and has been actively involved with CFA Institute for approximately 15 years. He served on the Essay Team, the Council of Examiners for three years, the Disciplinary Review Committee for seven years, and the Education Advisory Committee for six years, including one as chair. Abouchar received his award at a special meeting in June in Charlottesville, Va.
Alan Meder, CFA, is senior managing director and chief risk officer of Duff & Phelps, leading risk management and quantitative research for the firm’s equity and fixed income strategies. Meder is a CFA charterholder, a member of CFA Society Chicago, and has been actively involved with CFA Institute in various capacities for nearly 20 years. He served on the CFA Institute Board of Governors for six years and as chair from 2012-2013. He was on the Research Foundation Board of Trustees for two years, chaired the Education Advisory Committee and Test Specification Task Force, and served on other committees including Candidate Curriculum and Minimum Passing Score. Meder is coauthor of the Capital Market Expectations reading in “Managing Investment Portfolios: A Dynamic Process,” which is in the CFA Program Curriculum. Meder will receive his award at the CFA Institute Society Leadership Conference in San Jose, California, this October.
Mark Harbour, CFA, has approximately 30 years of experience providing integrated wealth management services to corporate executives, high net worth individuals and their families at Morgan Stanley. Harbour is a past president of CFA Society Los Angeles and currently serves on the Advocacy and Ethics Committee, which catalyzes discussions, research, training, and programs for members. He is also active with the Investment Management Consultant’s Association (IMCA), where he served as former national chair of the Wealth Management Committee and worked in developing curriculum and conducting the ethics sessions for the Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA®) and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®) Programs at the University of Chicago. Harbour received his award at the CFA Society Los Angeles Annual Meeting in June.
Antti Ilmanen manages AQR’s Portfolio Solutions Group, which advises institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds, and develops the firm’s broad investment ideas. Throughout his career, Ilmanen has advised many institutional investors, including Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. He has been published extensively in finance and investment journals, and has received a Graham and Dodd award, the Harry M. Markowitz special distinction award, and multiple Bernstein Fabozzi/Jacobs Levy awards for his articles. His book “Expected Returns” is a broad synthesis of the central issue in investing. Ilmanen will receive his award at the CFA Institute European Investment Conference in Berlin, Germany, this November.
CFA Institute recognizes its award recipients with a monetary contribution to the organization of their choosing. Beneficiaries must support the CFA Institute mission to promote the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has over 152,000 members in 163 countries and territories, including 145,000 CFA charterholders, and 148 member societies. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org.