Paul Smith, FCA, CFA, MA
Is an independent corporate director with significant experience in the Financial Services and Investment Funds industries.
He served as President and CEO of CFA Institute from January 2015 to September 2019. Previously he owned and ran Asia Alternative Asset Partners, a Hong Kong Hedge Fund Group.
He first came to Hong Kong (where he currently resides) in 1996 to run the Bank of Bermuda’s securities servicing business and on sale to HSBC acted as Global Head of HSBC’s alternative funds servicing business.
From 1984 to 1995 he worked for Ermitage International, a European fund manager, spending the last seven years as CEO.
He currently serves as a member of the Policy, Registration and Oversight Committee of the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council of Hong Kong and as a member of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission’s Products Advisory Committee.
He is a founding partner of the sustainability think tank, SustainFinance Limited and a Trustee of China Insight Foundation.
He started his career as an auditor at PriceWaterhouse in London.
Paul is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds a Master of Arts degree from Oxford University.
He has lived and worked for extended periods of time in the UK, USA, France and Hong Kong.