New Designations – CB Affiliate and ECF Affiliate

The Hong Kong Institute of Bankers (HKIB) is delighted to announce the launch of new designations for both Certified Banker (CB) and Enhanced Competency Framework (ECF) pathways, known as the “CB Affiliate” and “ECF Affiliate”, effective 31 March 2025.

About the CB and ECF Designations

These “Affiliate” designations recognise learners who have successfully completed an HKIB professional qualification programme (including training and examination requirements) but are not eligible to be certified due to their non-Relevant Practitioners status or inadequate relevant work experience. Such learners can now proudly display these new “Affiliate” designations, to demonstrate to industry peers, current or future employers, and other stakeholders that they have completed the requisite training in the particular subject field and have achieved this important milestone on the professional certification pathway.

Benefits of the Designations

These designations benefit CB and ECF learners in the following scenarios:

1. Non-current Relevant Practitioners in the banking industry (as defined by the HKMA) including but not limited to:
   •    Full-time post-secondary students
   •    Current banking practitioners in other job roles
   •    Practitioners in non-banking fields
   •    Banking practitioners previously deemed as Relevant Practitioners but who have changed job roles or currently not under banking employment / retired
    
2. Current Relevant Practitioners in the banking industry (as defined by the HKMA) who do not possess sufficient relevant working experience for certification requirements.
    

Learners who have completed any of the HKIB CB or ECF programmes will be automatically granted the designation of “CB Affiliate” or “ECF Affiliate” respectively. Once the learner satisfies the outstanding requirements, such as obtaining Relevant Practitioner status or accumulating sufficient years of relevant work experience, they can immediately apply to articulate to become a CB or ECF Professional Qualification (PQ) holder and be listed under the HKIB Registers of Certified Individuals on our website.
 

Membership Status

Upon granting of the “CB Affiliate” or “ECF Affiliate” designation:

• Non-members / Default Members: automatically become HKIB “Ordinary Members” with the first-year membership fee waived (until 31 December of the awarding year)

• Current Ordinary Members or Professional Members: continue to maintain their status
   

Annual Renewal/ Recertification

• For Ordinary Members: renew by accumulating at least 3 HKIB CPD hours for the previous calendar year and paying the annual membership fee

• For Professional Members: recertify by declaring CPD and RP status (where applicable) and paying the annual recertification fee
   

For enquiries, please call the HKIB Secretariat at 2153 7800 or email us at cs@hkib.org.