Laura Merlini, CAIA, CIFD is Managing Director EMEA for the CAIA Association, a position she has held since 2012. She is a senior alternative investment professional with extensive experience in strategic leadership, governance, stakeholder engagement and new market development across the financial industry. Her work is guided by a belief in the power of a plurality of voices in finance and a commitment to integrity, inclusion and ethics.
Laura began her career at Fortis Bank, where she worked across Milan, Madrid and Geneva, focusing on business strategy and international expansion. Since earning her CAIA Charter in 2007, she has been an active contributor to the CAIA community, co-founding the CAIA Iberia Chapter in Madrid and later serving as Co-Head of the CAIA Switzerland Chapter in Geneva.
An advocate for women’s leadership and education, Laura chaired the 100 Women in Finance Educational Committee in Geneva (2016–2018) and continues to promote inclusion and professional advancement in the alternatives industry. She currently serves on the CIFD Advisory Board and as Non-Executive Director at Agave Advisors, an independent wealth-management firm based in Geneva. She formerly served on the UN PRI Hedge Fund Advisory Committee, helping to advance responsible-investment standards across the industry.
Laura holds a BA in Business Administration from Bocconi University and a CEMS Master’s in International Management, and is a graduate of the Executive Master in Positive Leadership and Strategy from IE University (Inaugural Class 2014). Her conviction that governance is the foundation of a healthy financial industry led her to become a Certified Investment Fund Director (CIFD) in 2015.
A Certified Sommelier, Laura finds inspiration in wine, art and opera, which she views as expressions of culture that refine perspective and leadership. She writes and speaks frequently on alternative investments, governance and responsible investing, sharing insights on new industry trends, leadership and innovation.