AMHERST, Mass.—The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, the sponsoring body of the only globally recognized designation for alternative investment expertise, today announced the appointment of Andrew Baker, CEO of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), to its board of directors.

The CAIA Association also announced the election of board member Thomas Schneeweis as the new board chair. Schneeweis is the Michael and Cheryl Philipp Professor of Finance at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts, and founding Director of the Center for International Securities and Derivatives Markets (CISDM) at the Isenberg School. He fills the position previously held by Florence Lombard, who was named CEO of the CAIA Association effective January 2011.

E. Craig Asche, who stepped down as head of the CAIA Association at the end of 2010, will remain on the board. Other CAIA board members are: Peter Douglas, CAIA, principal and founder of Singapore-based GFIA pte ltd.; Jane Buchan, CAIA, CEO and one of the four original founders of Pacific Alternative Asset Management Company (PAAMCO); and Alexander M. Ineichen, CAIA, founder of Zurich-based Ineichen Research and Management.

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About the CAIA Association (www.caia.org)

The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association (CAIA) is an independent, not-for-profit global organization committed to education and professionalism in the field of alternative investments. Founded in 2002, the Association is the sponsoring body for the CAIA designation. Recognized worldwide, the designation certifies one’s mastery of the concepts, tools, and practices essential for understanding alternative investments and promotes adherence to high standards of professional conduct.

About Andrew Baker

Baker joined AIMA, the global hedge fund industry association, in August 2007, and was named CEO in December 2008. Most recently before joining AIMA he spent six years at Schroder Investment Management in London where he was COO - Alternative Investments. Prior to that, he spent 15 years managing institutional money at UBS, HD International and Rothschild. He has a degree in Mathematics from Imperial College, London University and resides in London.

About Thomas Schneeweis

Schneeweis has published widely in academic and practitioner journals in the areas of traditional and alternative investment. He is the founding editor of The Journal of Alternative Investments and has served on various boards, including the advisory board for the Dow Jones - AIG Commodity Index, and held a similar position at the London Metal Exchange. Schneeweis has a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin, and a B.A. from St. John's University.

About Florence Lombard

Lombard is a founding member and former CEO of AIMA. During her tenure, she oversaw the development and implementation of projects in the areas of education, research, regulation, and sound practices. She was instrumental in developing AIMA’s presence in Asia, which led to the creation of the AIMA Hong Kong/China, Australia, Japan, and Singapore chapters. While CEO, she also co-founded the CAIA Association with Schneeweis to develop specialized educational standards for alternative investment professionals. To date, more than 4,600 investment professionals throughout the world have earned the CAIA designation.