Global Association of Risk Professionals Announces Record Early Registrations for 2009 FRM Exam Program

NEW YORK, LONDON and ISTANBUL - 15,000 Already Signed Up To Take the Exam in November

The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP, www.garp.org) today announced that its Financial Risk Manager (FRM(R)) program continues to set records by registering 15,483 candidates as of the close of its Early Registration period April 30, 2009.

GARP’s FRM program, the internationally recognized benchmark program for financial risk management professionals, increased registrations as of the close of the Early Registration period by 72%, or 6,463 candidates, versus registrations received at that point in 2008. In addition, Early Registrations exceeded the total number of FRM program candidates for all of 2008 by 13%, the first time that has happened in the Early Registration period since the program’s inception in 1997.

Richard Apostolik, Global Association of Risk Professional’s President and CEO, said, “The importance of risk management and independently qualified risk managers is being recognized the world over. Organizations and enterprises around the globe recognize that the skill possessed by FRM holders allows them to move into leadership positions and proactively work with top management, Boards and advisors to address the unique and unprecedented issues that are the result of the current financial crisis.”

In 2008, 442 firms, representing every major financial firm, consulting company and regulatory body, as well as major academic institutions had at least five or more FRM candidates register for the 2008 FRM program. This number is expected to grow dramatically in 2009. The 17,673 FRM holders around the globe come from over 3,000 different companies and 137 countries.

Dr. Rene Stulz, Chairman of GARP’s FRM Committee, said that, “The unprecedented increase in registrations for the FRM exam is testimony to both an increased demand for solid risk management expertise as well as the success of the FRM program in helping candidates acquire that expertise and in certifying that they have done so. Much of the success of the FRM program is due to the work of the FRM committee, a volunteer group of practicing risk managers at leading financial institutions, in setting rigorous standards for the exam and in keeping the curriculum current and relevant with respect to the increasing demands of the profession.”

About The Global Association of Risk Professionals

The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) is a not-for-profit independent association of close to 100,000 risk management practitioners and researchers representing banks, investment management firms, government agencies, academic institutions, and corporations from more than 167 countries worldwide. It administers the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) program, the certification recognized by financial risk professionals worldwide. As the leading professional association for risk managers, GARP’s mission is to advance the risk profession through education, training and the promotion of best practices globally. www.garp.org.

Contacts: Carl Hymans G.S. Schwartz & Co. +1-212-725-4500, ext. 304 Elisabeth Behr G.S. Schwartz & Co +1-212-725-4500 ext. 323

Source: The Global Association of Risk Professionals

Carl Hymans, G.S. Schwartz & Co., +1-212-725-4500, ext. 304, carlh at schwartz.com, or Elisabeth Behr, G.S. Schwartz & Co, +1-212-725-4500 ext. 323, ebehr at schwartz.com