Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

The standard of achievement for those who audit, control, monitor and assess information technology and business systems.  

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  CISA is to Audit what CPA and CA are to Accounting

Key Exam Registration Dates:

June 2012 Exam		December 2012 Exam
10 February	Early Registration Deadline	15 August	Early Registration Deadline
20 April	Final Registration Deadline	3 October	Final Registration Deadline
9 June	Exam	8 December	Exam

 

 

Get Connected!

Join fellow IT professionals in the Knowledge Center to discuss these audit topics:
Audit Guidelines
Audit Standards
Audit Tools and Techniques 

How to Earn Your CISA

To learn more about obtaining your CISA, click on the steps below.

• Step 1:Register for the Exam »
• Step 2:Prepare for the Exam »
• Step 3:Take the Exam »
• Step 4:Apply for Certification »
• Step 5:Maintain a Certification »

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Certification Subject Matter

• Domain 1—The Process of Auditing Information Systems (14%)
• Domain 2—Governance and Management of IT (14%)
• Domain 3—Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation (19%)
• Domain 4—Information Systems Operations, Maintenance and Support (23%)
• Domain 5—Protection of Information Assets (30%

 

Zahir Ali Quettawalla, CISA, CISM, CRISC, COBIT

Chief Information Security Officer, IS Auditor, Author and Corporate Trainer

Pakistan

Banking

Current

• Head of IT Security and Risk Management at Faysal Bank Limited
• Faculty, Board Member at ISACA Karachi Chapter

Past

• Audit Manager (Information Technology) at Faysal Bank Limited
• Information Security Manager at Atlas Bank Limited
• IS Auditor at Ernst and Young

see all

Education

• ISACA
• Hamdard University
• GIK Institute of Engineering Science and Technology 

SAP

SAP
Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte,
Systems Applications and Products

SAP AG is a German software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations. Headquartered in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, with regional offices around the world, SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software. The company's best known products are its enterprise resource planning application (SAP ERP), its enterprise data warehouse solution - SAP Business Warehouse, SAP BusinessObjects software, and most recently, Sybase mobile products and in-memory computing appliance SAP HANA.

SAP, started in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany, states that it is the world's largest inter-enterprise software company and the world's fourth-largest independent software supplier, overall.The original name for SAP was German: Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte, German for "Systems Applications and Products."

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Basic SAP

V1 

SAP for beginners- 1 

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5 recent SAP failures

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The original SAP idea was to provide customers with the ability to interact with a common corporate database for a comprehensive range of applications. Gradually, the applications have been assembled and today many corporations, including IBM and Microsoft, are using SAP products to run their own businesses.
SAP applications, built around their latest R/3 system, provide the capability to manage financial, asset, and cost accounting, production operations and materials, personnel, plants, and archived documents. The R/3 system runs on a number of platforms including Windows 2000 and uses the client/server model. The latest version of R/3 includes a comprehensive Internet-enabled package.
SAP has recently recast its product offerings under a comprehensive Web interface, called mySAP.com, and added new e-business applications, including customer relationship management (CRM) and supply chain management (SCM).
As of January 2007, SAP, a publicly traded company, had over 38,4000 employees in over 50 countries, and more than 36,200 customers around the world. SAP is turning its attention to small- and-medium sized businesses (SMB). A recent R/3 version was provided for IBM's AS/400 platform.

Related glossary terms: Peoplesoft, knowledge warehouse (data repository), ASUG (Americas' SAP Users' Group), ERP (enterprise resource planning)

• SAP Press 
• SAP Training Academy -Clifton, Karachi  
• CONTACT US FOR SAP TRAINING
  

  SAP CERTIFICATION = USD 590

  R/3 SAP MODULE = USD 1500/=

  ONE MONTH DURATION AT SAP TRAINING CENTRE

  FREE SAP JOB PLACEMENT

  www.seekersintl.com

  Karachi - Pakistan.

SAP in Pakistan

Islamabad
Office # 3, Executive Business Centre
Saudi Pak Tower
61-A, Jinnah Avenue, Blue Area
Islamabad.
Tel: +92 (51) 280 03 97 - 8 Ext 3103
Fax +92 (51) 280 03 99 

SAP Malaysia’s Partners in Pakistan:

• Abacus
• BI Solutions
• ExD
• IBM
• NetSol Technologies
• Sidat Hyder Morshed Associates
• Siemens
• VMS

 Website

 

Pricing Strategies

Pricing Strategies

 

CFA vs Actuary

CFA vs Actuary

What disparity is there in the knowledge scope and skill set in a CFA and an Actuary when it comes to the field of finance and investment?  Does an FSA or FIA who has majored in Finance and investment have sufficient knowledge and skills to compete with a CFA or an MBA or an Msc in Financial math in the financial market place? What route would you advice a student with a love for math and who ius interested in finance and investment to take?


Most of the investment actuaries have both their FSA and CFA designations. It is pretty popular to earn CFA after becoming an FSA.


 finance industry is currently in the dumps right now, and it would be very difficult to find a job in that arena


At least in the US, there are many professionals in the finance industry that have been laid off, and are now currently looking for work. I was working at a major investment bank prior to my current job and many of my former co-workers are unemployed and finding it difficult to find work. I myself had job-searched from Aug 08 to Mar 09 until I landed my current position.

Actuaries and chartered financial analysts (CFA) both have extensive training in business, finance and statistics. Both fields require a strong background in mathematics and analytical skills. The minimum education requirement for actuaries and CFAs is a bachelor's degree. Along with the similarities of actuaries and CFAs, there are some differences between the two professions

Actuary

• Actuaries are employed in the insurance and financial industries. They are trained to analyze risks and forecast the potential financial losses of an organization. In the insurance industry, actuaries specialize in property, casualty or life and health insurance. In the financial services industry, they manage credit and set prices for corporate securities or develop new investment tools. Approximately 55 percent of actuaries are employed in the insurance sector, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and in 2009 the median salary for actuaries was $87,000. BLS data show the employment opportunity for actuaries is expected to grow by 21 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

• CFA designations are sponsored by the CFA Institute. Financial analysts advise businesses and individuals on sound investment practices. Banks, insurance companies, securities firms and the business media employ financial analysts. Financial analysts are categorized into two areas: buy side and sell side investments. Buy side analysts help companies invest their money. Sell side analysts assist securities dealers like banks and investment firms with selling stocks, bonds and other financial instruments. The average salary for CFAs was $73,000 in 2009, according to BLS.

Actuary Training and Qualifications

• Students with an undergraduate degree in mathematics, statistics or actuarial science can become actuaries. More than 100 colleges and universities in the United States offer degrees in actuarial science, according to the BLS. Actuaries are licensed by two professional associations: the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS). Although licensing is not a requirement, employers typically prefer to hire candidates who hold a credential in specialized fields such as casualty, medical malpractice, homeowners and worker's compensation.

CFA Training and Qualifications

• CFAs hold a bachelor's or master's degree in fields like finance, business, accounting and economics. While certification is not a requirement, financial analysts with CFA designations can enhance their employment opportunities and professional standing. In addition to having a bachelor's degree, CFA candidates must also have a minimum of four years of related work experience. The CFA Institute offers preparatory courses and training for qualified individuals. CFA examinees must have a solid knowledge of topics like accounting, economics, securities analysis and corporate finance.

 doing CFA after becoming an actuary is quite easy but goin vice versa is quite hard. 

4 C's of Credit

The 4 C's of Credit

1. Character - The management team's record, strategy and internal controls
2. Capacity - Ability to meet debt obligations
3. Collateral - Assets pledged to back the loan
4. Covenants - Restrictions on activities as well as maintenance

Recall that in bankruptcy, there is a hierarchy to how remaining capital, collateral and other assets are distributed relative to tranches. However, in restructuring "everyone gets a haircut".

Also, when building credit ratings, there are various ratios that are looked at, particularly:

• Profitiability Ratios
• Liquidity Ratios (Short Term Solvency)
• Capitalization (Leverage) Ratios (Solvency)

Balance Scorecard

Balance Scorecard

Workshop

Presentation Read