“I entered the alternative investment area in 2011 in a pension plan and then worked for a regional fund manager. The reason why I completed my CAIA designation was to get a recognized certification in alternative investments. The aforementioned program provided me with a great insight into alternative investments and gave me the opportunity to apply this knowledge to my job in Peru, which is a market that has started to fulfill international standards. I´m very grateful for it since getting this certification results in solidifying my academic background.”
I have been a CAIA Charter holder since 2017. My experience in this field is extensive and comprises more than ten years.
I served as a Deputy Head of Alternative investments in one of the largest pension plans in Peru which gave me the chance to be responsible for executing the best-alternative investment strategy through a due diligence process. This involved monitoring the funds where the pension plan was invested, and included several strategies like Private Equity, Real Estate, Infrastructure Funds, and others.
After that, I was promoted to VP of Credit and Risk in a regional fund manager that invested in Mexico, Colombia, and Peru, leading and supervising the credit risk analysis of debt transactions in the countries and industries where the fund operated. This was a great learning experience as it granted me a different perspective on the business, it was the other side of the coin.
I´ve always thought that the program broadened my perspective on assessing funds and GPs, involving legal, governance, and operational aspects.
The CAIA designation helped me build a fiduciary-driven investment culture, deepen my knowledge of the best international standards of ethics and fiduciary responsibility, as well as always prioritizing the interest of our clients. For example, in my case, it was of utmost importance to have fiduciary duty with our affiliates, working with transparency and good management, avoiding any conflicts of interest.
I encourage all professionals to enhance their careers with a well-known certification in alternative investments such as CAIA. I believe that solid knowledge of the field, at the right time, under the best international standards, will make an excellent foundation to build your professional future and will subsequently result in further opportunities, providing the necessary boost to be noticed / excel in the financial world.
To sum up, the CAIA designation provided me with great insight into alternative investments and gave me the opportunity to apply this knowledge to my job in Peru. I am a firm believer that educational events and networking with other CAIA members are an essential part of the program. I am overjoyed to be part of its Latin American Chapter, where we are working to foster its growth and to create a Latin American community revolving around it.
Lizette Landeras, CAIA, has over 10 years of experience in alternative investments. Served as a V.P. Credit Risk & Analysis at Kandeo, a regional fund manager with responsibility in evaluation of debt transactions. She also served as Deputy Head of Alternatives Investments at PRIMA AFP with the responsibility to supervise more than USD 1.9 BN in AUM for one of the largest pension funds in Peru. Previous work experience in Equity, Risk Analysis, and Audit Investment. She is Chapter Executive Peru in the CAIA LatAm Chapter. She holds a Master of Business Administration from EGADE Business School – Tecnologico de Monterrey and also has a Professional degree in Economy from Universidad de Lima.