DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH IN EMERGING MARKETS DRIVES GLOBAL NUMBER OF CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER PROFESSIONALS TO 139,818

DENVER, CO -- 7 February 2012 -- Robust CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification programs in territories with advancing economies led worldwide growth in the number of CFP professionals for the third consecutive year. Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB), owner of the CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP logo marks outside the United States, reported that FPSB member organizations in Brazil, India, China, and Indonesia experienced double-digit growth in their CFP certification programs, ranging from 14 to more than 47 percent in 2011. Overall, the annual growth rate measured 4.5 percent globally, from 133,756 CFP professionals in 2010 to 139,818 as of 31 December 2011.

Growth highlights from FPSB’s advancing-economy member organizations include:

• Instituto Brasileiro de Certificação de Profissionais Financeiros (IBCPF), which began offering CFP certification in Brazil in 2003, led FPSB’s 24 member organizations with growth of 47.2 percent, from 485 CFP professionals in 2010 to 714 in 2011.

• FPSB India, offering CFP certification since 2001, grew by 22.1 percent, from 1,285 CFP professionals in 2010 to 1,570 in 2011.

• FPSB China, which began offering the CFP certification program in 2006, increased the number of CFP professionals by 20 percent, from 9,034 in 2010 to 10,843 in 2011.

• FPSB Indonesia, which has offered CFP certification since 2006, experienced growth of 14 percent, from 703 CFP professionals in 2010 to 802 in 2011.

In addition to Brazil, India, China and Indonesia, FPSB’s member organization in Austria, Österreichischer Verband Financial Planners, also experienced double-digit growth in 2011 of 11.8 percent, from 238 CFP professionals in 2010 to 266 in 2011. OVFP began offering the CFP certification program in March 2002.

“In advancing economies, such as Brazil, India, China and Indonesia, the concept of financial planning is still relatively new. To establish themselves as competent, ethical financial planners who place their clients’ interests first, financial planners in these territories see value in aligning with a global certification program that is recognized and respected by consumers,” said Corinna Dieters, chairperson of the FPSB Board of Directors.

“With nearly 140,000 CFP professionals, the CFP certification program is the most recognized financial planning credential in the world,” said Noel Maye, FPSB CEO. “Increasingly, employers value the client-relationship skills and broad financial competence that CFP professionals can offer. CFP professionals bring credibility to organizations by meeting rigorous global practice standards and following a client-centered code of ethics.”

A global nonprofit organization, FPSB is the professional standards-setting body for financial planners. FPSB’s vision is to establish financial planning as a global profession, with the CFP marks as its symbol of excellence. FPSB enforces its standards through a network of 24 member organizations in the Americas, Europe, South Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. A complete list of the number of CFP professionals by territory can be found here.

About FPSB

FPSB manages, develops and operates certification, education and related programs for financial planning organizations to benefit the global community by establishing, upholding and promoting worldwide professional standards in financial planning. FPSB demonstrates its commitment to excellence with the marks of professional distinction – CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP Logo Mark. FPSB has a nonprofit member organization in the following 24 territories: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. For more, visit fpsb.org. Follow FPSB at twitter.com/fpsb or facebook.com/fpsb1.

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