Head of Asset Management
Banco Sabadell
The CAIA Program may help our teams develop a better understanding of the rewards and potential risks of the Alternative Investments. At Banco Sabadell - Asset Management Division we encourage our staff to take the exams and gain an insight into the Alternatives through the CAIA Program. We also give our support to educational initiatives that lead to the achievement of the CAIA Designation for our employees as we consider it to be a significant milestone for their professional development, as much as a clear advantage in the market for our firm. In fact the CAIA Designation is becoming gradually required to our investment management side, and getting highly recommended to our middle and back office functions' staff as well.
Founder
Ineichen Research and Management
The CAIA program is a well structured course that allows financial professionals with a broad array of educational backgrounds to move up the learning curve quickly and in a structured fashion. The program is comprehensive and well balanced between academic and practitioner research. I am delighted to be part of the program.
Managing Director
UBS Global Asset Management Singapore Ltd.
The most complex aspect of both my previous and current roles is the need to explain – in very simple language – how investments work to non-specialists. This can be in verbal discussions and sales presentations, as well as in written sales collateral. It is almost impossible to explain an investment in a compelling – but simple – manner if you don’t fundamentally understand the investment across multiple layers. The CAIA Program helped me form that basis of understanding – and even helped me to approach investments from a new angle – in both the traditional and alternatives space.
Managing Director
AHV Ausgleichsfonds (Swiss Federal Social Security Fund)
The CAIA degree fills an obvious gap in a very effective manner. Anyone - buy or sell side - wishing to know what he is talking about when dealing with alternative investments should absolutely follow this highly relevant program. It has certainly helped me in countless ways. I strongly recommend this intelligently structured course.
Director
UBS Wealth Management Singapore
During my time at Temasek, I began working with structured credit products, which I found to be an interesting intellectual and practical challenge. In order to enhance what I already knew about the markets, I looked to the CAIA curriculum for guidance and a broader knowledge of alternative investments than I previously had. The time preparing for and passing the two levels has paid off. I have solidified my understanding of structured credit products, especially as they relate to a broader investment portfolio. The CAIA designation has allowed me to command greater credibility from clients. Even better, the CAIA member network helped me connect with like-minded professionals when I transitioned to Hong Kong in 2005.
Head of Alternative Investment Structuring of Global Derivatives
Bayerische Hypo- und Vereinsbank AG (HVB)
I was looking for an exam that would provide a benchmark for my practical knowledge as well as provide a greater, in-depth focus on areas and concepts that I would need as my career advanced. I found the Level I to be an excellent indicator of my existing skills, while the Level II truly helped to elevate and broaden my skill set. I find that I consistently apply the concepts I learned through the CAIA Association in my daily activities at work.
Principal
GFIA Pte Ltd.
Studying for the CAIA is an adventure – it's up to date, with a focus on current thinking and practice, rather than rote learning of textbooks. That makes it relevant and effective. We require every analyst to start the programme, on day 1 of their employment, and we make acquiring the designation a required element in the career – and compensation – path within our firm. I don't know of anything else that would short-circuit the learn-by-watching-me process so effectively.
Head of Alternative Investments
Allfunds Bank
My first contact with alternative investments came from my job as Treasury Internal Audit Manager at my former company. I realized that despite my technical knowledge I didn't fully understand all the mechanisms beyond the mere positions in the portfolio. Therefore I decided to take the first exam on my own. The course is very well structured and I found immediate practical applications in my job regarding many issues.
Furthermore this first exam designation helped me to find a new job at one of the biggest fund platforms in Europe as an alternative investment analyst - Allfunds Bank. The knowledge I acquired in gaining the CAIA qualification helps me in my job. Once I joined this team we began pushing the CAIA designation within the company. We encourage our colleagues to achieve the CAIA designation.
Senior Analyst, Investments and Securities Division
Cayman Islands Monetary Authority
The biggest challenge I face is gaining a global perspective of the functioning of the hedge fund industry and an understanding of alternative investment vehicles and their risks. The knowledge I learned in the CAIA program is crucial in order for me to properly serve the needs of stakeholders in this vital industry, and in order to identify areas of regulatory weakness. The recent credit crisis has underscored the need for the alternative investments industry to improve its management of risk, to strengthen its valuation processes, and to increase transparency of the investment structures being utilized.
Quantitative Researcher
Taler Asset Management
The most difficult aspect of my job is to understand how hedge fund managers generate returns. The instruments through which managers invest are often complex and can change rapidly over time. As a risk manager, I need be on top of these risks by understanding each manager’s investments thoroughly. The CAIA program gave me a much better understanding of the many instruments they employ, which helped me in turn to build a superior risk management system.
Head of Marketing
Societe Generale
We are in the midst of an industry which is moving very fast both in terms of content and size. The CAIA program was therefore a perfect opportunity for me to step back a bit in order to integrate and consolidate relevant information. In addition, it provides an exciting networking platform for alternative investment professionals and I have met many interesting people since I became a member.
Head of Proprietary Trading
Invest Banca
The opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of such non-traditional investment markets such as REITs and private equity, led me to the CAIA program. As a portfolio manager and trader, my first goal is to preserve capital by investing through a risk budget framework. We live in a financial system where different asset classes remain deeply interconnected, making it impossible to ignore what’s happening in other investment areas. As an example, the REIT expertise that I gained through the CAIA program has helped me to better understand the various issues surrounding securitization and debt levels. A few years ago, during the hedge fund boom, many people were not aware of the value and necessity of alternative investment education, certification was barely an afterthought. But in the current economic environment, financial professionals with the expertise, credibility and high standards associated with the CAIA designation have become increasingly sought after.
Financial Analysis Manager
CVC Capital Partners
Enrolling in the CAIA Program is one of the most convenient ways to progressively get a full and sophisticated view on the alternative investment world. The CAIA program really helped me to understand the underlying operations of the private equity sector.
Portfolio Manager & Wealth Advisor
Abundance Wealth Counselors, LLC
The CAIA Program was challenging, it really was like a mini-Ph.D program in alternative investments. It has allowed me to understand the critical factors in the day-to-day analysis of all of our alternative investments, to better analyze what our clients hold and also to improve my ability to look for future investment opportunities.
Senior Vice President
Evensky & Katz Wealth Management
When my company began evaluating and including alternative investments in its recommendations, I decided that I needed to learn more about these products to best serve my clients. I had heard that the CAIA Association was the best resource for learning about alternatives, so I registered to take the Level I exam. The curriculum's emphasis on a broad range of AI strategies has given me the knowledge and background to evaluate the AI universe. Although we create core portfolios using mainly traditional investments and asset classes, some clients come to us with existing alternative investments, so the program helped me determine where AI assets can fit in a portfolio.
Portfolio Manager
Fertilemind Capital
There are no absolute truths in finance and investing, this is what makes it interesting. Understanding the Popperian nature of these systems allows one to better navigate them. CAIA can provide another framework for looking at things from the different aspects of alternatives. Being able to step outside of the traditional bank or school training is what allows one to understand where things might stop working. This last year we have seen the failure of structured finance based on flawed application of covariance models and real-estate reshapes everything. Understandably, the CAIA program is still early, but I think it will grow more important as people seek to understand the risks involved. Seeing the world from multiple frameworks is a powerful thing. Each sector of the CAIA program is like a view into another country. You may not want to visit or even live there, but it is always useful to understand a bit about it.
Executive VP, Institutional Research & Sales
Altegris Investments
At the CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) I learned about the futures markets. It was clear to me that actively managed alternative strategies were the best way to manage money for consistent long term. In 2002, Thomas Schneeweis contacted me about a group of alternative investment industry leaders who were creating a designation dedicated to the Alternative Investment world. At that time, the alternative space was missing educational outlets and opportunities to analyze the quality of an individual’s experience. I believed in the mission. I believe that alternative investments will soon be categorized as “mainstream”. These styles are the future of investing. The CAIA provides the cutting edge education in this space.
National Director, Alternative Investments
Evergreen Investment Services
The Alternative Investments Group at Evergreen is committed to providing our Financial Advisors and their clients the highest level of investment knowledge and support. In the rapidly changing and complex world of alternative investments, we feel that it is vital that our product specialists have the highest level of training and knowledge. We feel that one of the best ways to obtain that knowledge is through obtaining the CAIA designation. This education will benefit our clients by working with highly trained investment professionals that will more efficiently and dynamically allocate assets across a broad range of alternative investment strategies resulting in a more efficient portfolio.
