About GAFM ®

FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

Q1: How and when was the GAFM® founded

The GAFM Global Academy of Finance and Management is an independent worldwide Board of Standards and Accreditation Council for management professionals. We are a global SRO " Self Regulatory Organization " and certification body that recognizes the highest criteria in academic standards, exams, assessment, metrics, industry experience, ethics, and continuing education mandates as dictated by the IBANEZ and PEEL USA Supreme Court decisions & dicta on financial board certification and credentials. © The IBS Accreditation Standards Council is volunteer oriented and located in The European Union in Italy

The Founding members have their origins with the Condor Falcon Leadership Institute and the Founders Advisory Committee of the Original Tax and Estate Planning Law Review ™ 1996. The GAFMA was originally established in as a professional organization for investment managers, lawyers, and analysts. The Institute was founded to examine strategic leadership and finance issues and to award the management and finance related designations.

GAFM ® International Board of Standards has been officially listed and disclosed in various governmental and standards registries around the world such as the Dept of Education, Dept of Labor, United Nations, Technischer Überwachungs-Verein, Government of China, Singapore Government, Brazil Government, and financial regulatory educational registry. GAFM ® has members in 150+ countries with a quarter of new members in the US being women. GAFM ® is a professional association member of The ACBSP Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs and the AACSB™ International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The GAFM ® is the first financial organization in the world to achieve direct alliance with government recognized business school accreditation agency . With recent GAFM ® conferences and summits in Argentina, Shanghai, Mexico, Geneva, Peru, Singapore, and the Caribbean, GAFM ® is at the forefront of International Finance, Law, & Economics. Read our GAFM Global Recognition, Listings and Disclosure with Various Authorities. Because GAFM ® has a global recognition policy with the ACBSP, AACSB International, & ABA, and this educational recognition represents the Top 2 Government Recognized Accreditation Agencies Worldwide for Business Schools and represent 1000+ of the top business schools.

With GAFM ® liaison & representative provider and enforcement offices in China, India, Africa, Arabia, West Indies, EU, UK, Singapore, Philippines, and Latin America's, the GAFM ® Certification Board of Standards is the only truly worldwide graduate certification standards body for financial executives, managers, analysts, planners, faculty, investment executives and counselors. Further, GAFM ® is the first purely financial certification organization to work directly with the US, Arabian, India and Chinese Governmental bodies to improve education, standards, quality, and assessment. Further, GAFM® has a legal coexistence agreement with the CFP™ Board of Standards and The CFA Institute formerly the AIMR™ Worldwide in which the GAFM ® brand, select certifications, and various credentials are protected trademarks globally. GAFM ® is also disclosed and listed in the US Dept. of Labor, Dept of Education guides, Finanical Regulatory Websites, the US Government Occupational Handbook, and with the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Further, the GAFM ® Board of Standards is listed in the US Government and United Nations Civil Society Registry along with other top financial and accounting organizations. The GAFM has consulted directly with governments such as the USA to improve standards and to assist professionals around the world to improve careers.

Furthermore, GAFM ™ has various international recognitions from private and governmental authorities. GAFM board certifications are compliance friendly and listed on investor education websites, and , GAFM is recognized by authoritative sources worldwide such as the US Department of Labor BLS Brochures and the Department of Education Registry and Directory. The GAFM ™ Board also has negotiated direct global trademark agreements with the CFP ™ Board of Standards and the CFA ™ Institute. Because of the international recognition, the GAFM and related certification has been seen and featured in the: Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The Arab Times, The China Daily, The El Norte Mexico, The South China Post, The Hindu National, CNBC, Forbes, Morningstar, and Black Enterprise Magazine.

GAFM ™ is the regulatory Board of Standards for the much sought after GAFM ™ Designations and Credentials. The GAFM ™ Executive Designation Programs provide the assurance that the holder has met the suggested criteria for graduate credentials set out in cases such as the: Ibanez US Supreme Court Decision. As for high standards, the GAFM board certification requires passing 6 different levels of certification criteria. Acceptance into the GAFM is a high distinction and requires the holder to possess a graduate level portfolio of skills and knowledge. Acceptance statistics are not high, and the designation when achieved is a high honor strictly for accredited degree and college educated graduates.

The GAFM ™ has seen a meteoric rise to affluence and membership in recent years, as financial executives and managers strive to maintain and augment their education, credentials, integrity, and skill sets. The GAFM is the first in the world to extend strategic educational articulation and recognition to 1000 double accredited business schools globally through the top business accreditation agencies worldwide: The GAFM is also the first to have a direct alliance with an ABA recognized post-doctorate law school program and the RSOF Royal Society of Fellows Worldwide. The GAFM ™ has endorsed and sanctioned some of the the most elite global conferences on economics, finance, tax, investments, law, wealth management, portfolio management, AML, and ecommerce issues.

GAFM’s mission is to serve its global membership and stakeholders as a world leader in educating and reinforcing the international knowledge of executives and potential leadership of financial based institutions. GAFM ™ now has representative offices and courses in the New York, Singapore, San Diego, Beijing, India, Cairo, Taiwan, Vietnam, Europe, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Latin America and South America, Singapore, The Caribbean, Europe, and more. Moreover, GAFM ™ is a registered/listed Civil Societiy member with the United Nations. GAFM ™ mandates consent to high standards of professional conduct, and GAFM activities are International in nature and scope.

Q2: How is the GAFM ® GAFM ® ™ Structured?

The GAFM ® is Global Society and Certification Standards Board with the highest quality criteria in the world. GAFM is a USA and EU chartered socieity with a Certification Board which is governed by a Board of Standards in Europe and also the USA, and has a global code of ethics and standards of practice. The GAFM ® ™ operates as a certifying body with the members of the local or regional chapter making up the stakeholders of the local society. At all times the GAFM ® ™ and its members are accountable to the community and to the Board of Standards.

The Academy leadership has three governance components, a Board of Standards and Sovereign Presidents, which controls and governs the standards and criteria for issuing of professional designations and the curriculum requirements, an Executive Team which manages the commercial training operations of the GAFM ® ™ network activities, and a Board of Presidential Governors who oversee policy standards and training quality decisions.

The Board of Standards and the Advisory Council is primarily made up of volunteer participation from industry leaders and academics who wish to contribute positively to industry and standards development and globally includes more than 100 professionals of the highest calibre, led by an elected Board of Governors.

The Global Executive Team is currently made up of international experts, some of who share equity in local training franchises, but all of whom are actively involved in the regional activities of the Academy.

Q3: How do I join The GAFM ® Global Academy of Finance and Management ™?

You can join the GAFM ® ™ at any time by submitting your details on our website as an affiliate member, but you do not receive the right to use a designation as a post-nominal. If you attend one of our recognized and accredited educational programs, you may qualify for the use of one of our professional designations.

*Legal Note: The Certification Board ONLY awards designations, member documents, charters and certifications. If you have received anything with the words "certificate" on it, then it is probably a fake document. A mere attendance certificate is NOT not and has NEVER been awarded by GAFM and does not confer the right to use the designation.

Q4: Is the GAFM ® Global Academy Recognized Worldwide?

GAFM ® ™ has members and chapters registered in more than 150 countries providing brand recognition for the graduate society and for our individual designations. Our greatest recognition comes from the use of our designations on business cards and email signatures of our thousands of members worldwide. However, other 'formal' recognition is broadly and readily available.

In the decade, the GAFM ™ has consulted with the: US Government, United Nations, Union of Arab Securites Regulators, India Government, European Investment Bank, Ministry of Finance, various Chinese Government agencies, Capital Markets Authority of Saudi Arabia, Dubai Stock Exchange (Dubai Financial Market), Kuwait Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore Monetary Authority, Qatar Financial Centre, Central Bank of Oman and others to provide professional development and consultative work to their employees and authorized partners. GAFM ™ ( The Certifying Body) is also formally recognized or registered with regulators worldwide.

In 2007-8 GAFM ® ™ added to our formal status or global recognition achieving approval from the Arab League Arab Academy, Egyptian Investment Institute, Capital Market Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, SCA Securities and Commodities Auhority UAE, and for the Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) under the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority. GAFM ® ™ has also applied for formal recognition in the European Union through the Central Bank of Greece, the Insurance Companies Association, and others under the EU Mutual Recognition Directive.

Globally, the GAFM ® is a self regulatory organization and in alliance with the top 800 accredited business school programs globally. The GAFM ® International Board of Standards is a member of the ACBSP, AACSB, ICE, ANSI, NOCA, AABFS and is referenced by The United Nations, FINRA, US Department of Labor, Investopedia Forbes Dictionary. GAFM ® Certifications are recognized by the Arab Academy, India Government Regulators, , Latin Consortium, UAE Government, and the African Economist Association. The GAFM ® is licensed to offer the AFA®, MPM®, CIPM®, MMC®, AMC®, AMA®, CTEP®, ChE®, CWM ® Certification, the MFP ® Master Financial Planner® Program and the GAFM ® Accredited Financial Analyst ® Certification.

Q5: How do I gain Board Certification and a Charter?

If you meet the graduate requirements and attend one of our recognized programs, you may qualify for the use of one of our professional board-certified designations - this is also known as a membership charter. Please email your resume directly to www.GAFM.org if you are unsure of your eligibility.

Q6: What is the purpose of the GAFM ® ™?

In the face of the global financial crisis and the failure of institutions and government servants in USA, Europe and Australia, and with fraud and criminal actions perpetrated by private companies such as MF Global and Bernie Madoff, there has never been a greater opportunity to improve the base standards of the finance sector and augment ethical governance of listed companies. This is why the GAFM has remained a leader in ethics, professionalism, and governance education and strategy.

Through skill-based competency assessment and professional development, education on ethics and standards, and commentary in the press on local and regional issues, the Board of Standards seeks to positively influence participation in the management and finance industry.

Q7: Can our company offer GAFM ® and GAFM ® ™ Training that is GAFM ® USA Certified?

GAFM ® ™ accredits courses worldwide. If you desire your training company to be accredited by GAFM or GAFM, please email a request. Further, we can offer in-house certification training. If your institution has an interest in offering GAFM ® ™ Executive Certification Programs through your training centers, company, or college, please apply to be one of our global licensed training providers.

Find out more about becoming a licensed training provider, click here.

Q8: Where can I get training that leads to a professional qualification?

Internationally the GAFM Global Academy of Finance and Management conducts training in countries as diverse as UK, Latin America, China, Vietnam, India, Eastern Europe, Malta, , Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Malaysia, Singapore, Beijing, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Check out our course calendar online for more information about executive training programs in locations near you.

In the United States our US Headquarters and Founding Board sanctions financial planning training and wealth management training in conjunction with Thomas Jefferson School of Law and the ACBSP Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs which both are nationally accredited programs with US Government CHEA recogntion from accreditation bodies.

Q9: How can I get involved in the Quality Standards Body?

The easiest way for members to get involved is to join our global adivisory councils. Advisory organizations organize local networking activities, raise awareness of standards and issues facing the finance industry and work with local providers in respect to training new candidates and providing ongoing professional development to existing members.

Some chapter members go on to become involved in the society more broadly and may even be nominated to join a board, committees or the executive team over time.

Member Login

Username:

Password:

Validate Member