Last month, we invited you to participate in our Future of Investment Advice Study, with the objective of helping the investment consulting profession define and adapt to ever-changing market conditions in the investments and wealth profession. Did you know that IMCA has a number of other research initiatives underway?

Like elite educational institutions providing top-quality education, we produce frequent research reports in partnership with reputable third-party research firms with the intention of further educating our members—and the profession as a whole—about the investments and wealth profession and both the advisors and the investors we serve. We’ll be releasing a number of studies in the coming months, but here’s a sneak preview of what you can expect and look forward to:

• Future of Investment Advice Study: 2017 CIMA Job Analysis. IMCA’s “Future of Investment Advice Study: 2017 CIMA^® Job Analysis” examines the activities that comprise the role investment professionals play, and evaluates the knowledge, skills and abilities required to complete those activities effectively. The survey asks financial advisors, registered investment advisors, investment consultants, and investment analysts to rate the importance of a series of knowledge and skill statements as related to job performance.
• The Value of Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) Certification to an Advisor’s Practice. This report identifies and quantifies the value of the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) certification for financial advisors, team practices, and clients. It compares CIMA professionals to advisors and practices without a CIMA certification in areas including: financial advisor income and compensation models, practice revenue, clients and assets, target client segments, and share of wallet. The report also shares the views of CIMA professionals on the contribution of CIMA certification to their practices, including their investment management knowledge and their confidence when offering investment management services to clients.
• The Value of Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA®) Certification to an Advisor’s Practice. This report identifies and quantifies the value of the CPWA for financial advisors and compares CPWA professionals to advisors and practices without a CPWA certification.
• HNW Investor Insights 2017. To help our members in the U.S. and Canada understand their clients’ evolving needs and expectations—we conducted a survey among high-net-worth investors to understand what they look for in an advisor. The research examines their level of satisfaction with their advisor, their loyalty, how they measure success, and how they characterize their relationship with their advisor.
• High-Performing Teams. This initiative, in collaboration with Janus Henderson, identifies the advantages of working in a team and distinguishes the attributes and practices of the most productive teams. Teams were ranked based on AUM per producing advisor, AUM per total headcount, and average client size. The results were segmented into quartiles based on overall performance to understand how top-quartile teams outperform other teams.

We will be rolling out the findings from these studies throughout the fourth quarter of this year. But we won’t stop there—2018 will also see additional research initiatives designed to help you transform knowledge into value for you, your clients, and the industry. Stay tuned to the Investment Sense blog and www.imca.org to learn more!