IFSCA Expands Talent Criteria with Inclusion of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification

VMPL
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], April 23: As per the Gazette Of India: Extraordinary, IFSCA (International Financial Services Centres Authority) announced and recognised that CFP® professionals, those holding the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) certification from the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) will be eligible to be a Principal Officer of a distributor or an Investment Advisor or a Research Entity in the IFSC, Gift City. This is as per the International Financial Services Centre Authority (Capital Market Intermediaries) Regulations, 2025.
This move highlights the value of the CFP® certification in meeting the growing demand for skilled, future-ready talent and reinforces the importance of strengthening the talent pipeline for India's growing international financial hub.
IFSCA is the unified regulatory authority responsible for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services, and financial institutions in India's International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). FPSB India is the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB Ltd.), the global standards-setting body for the financial planning profession and owner of the international CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification program. Notably, CFP® certification is the only globally recognized mark of professionalism for financial planning, setting the benchmark for expertise, ethics, and professionalism. Globally, there are 230,648 CFP® professionals worldwide of which 3,215 are in India. India is amongst the world's top growth markets for CFP® professionals.
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA: EXTRAORDINARY [PART III--SEC.4] INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTRES AUTHORITY NOTIFICATION mentions
"In respect of a principal officer of a distributor or an investment adviser or a research entity, a graduate degree in any field from a university or an institution recognised by the Central Government or any State Government or a foreign university along with a certification as a Certified Financial Planner from Financial Planning Standards Board shall also suffice."
"A capital market intermediary shall ensure that the principal officer and compliance officer meet the experience requirements. A principal officer shall have an experience of at least three years in the financial services market."
Speaking on this development, Krishan Mishra, CEO, FPSB India, said, "We are honoured that CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals have been recognized to contribute to the talent requirements of the IFSC, Gift City. With their deep expertise in financial products, services, and client-centric planning, CFP® professionals are well-equipped to support capital market intermediaries and elevate industry standards. We thank the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) for this forward-looking recognition, which not only validates the value of the CFP® certification but also aligns with India's vision of building a world-class international financial hub."
This development follows FPSB India's recent collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad, wherein they co-launched an Executive Program in Financial Planning and Investment Advisory Services in March 2025. Last year, FPSB India and the National Institute of Securities Market (NISM) partnered to launch a one-year Postgraduate Program in Financial Planning, further reinforcing FPSB India's position as the apex certification body for financial planning professionals. Furthermore, FPSB India has also launched, in collaboration with SIMSREE (Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education), a 2-year MSc Finance degree course.
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