Alternatives Reign at Schwab IMPACT

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Last week, two of my fellow Global Business Development team members and I attended the Schwab Impact 2011 conference at the Moscone Center in beautiful San Francisco. Over 4000 delegates attended the four day event, which filled the conference hall with more than 300 exhibitors. The list of keynote speakers included such high profilers as Charles R. Schwab, Bill Gross, Liz Ann Sonders, and Tony Blair. Perhaps most noteworthy was the large number of panels devoted to discussion and strategy in alternative investments.

Florence Lombard, CEO of the CAIA Association, moderated one such panel on the morning of Thursday, November 3. Scores of people attended "Alternative Investment Research and Due Diligence," leaving the space with standing room only. Attendees heard from Chris Addy (Castle Hall), James McKee (Callan Associates) and Scott Welch (Fortigent, LLC) about how to approach more volatile alternative investments.

CAIA Association also had a presence through an exhibit booth. Manned by myself and my colleagues, Managing Director of Global Business Development Caroline Bault and Account Manager Heather Kane, we spoke with hundreds of people ranging from alternatives-minded portfolio managers to representatives from other educational associations about the value of the CAIA designation. Given the focus on alternatives at Schwab IMPACT 2011, it was a perfect time for the CAIA Association's debut as an exhibitor at this key event.

By Bert Cliche, Director of Business Development - Americas

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