The CAIA Membership has been invaluable in expanding my knowledge and expertise of alternative asset classes, especially Private Equity, and Hedge Funds.
As my career has primarily been in structured finance and asset-based lending, earning the CAIA designation has given me the skill set to expand into the private equity space. The CAIA Charter program taught me how to accurately assess private equity strategies, products, and managers. It also gave me the confidence to converse in their language and conduct appropriate due diligence. As a result, I took on the lead role at work concerning evaluating and structuring more complex private equity products such as CLOs, credit NAVs (net asset value facilities), and equity NAVs, in addition to more traditional products such as capital call subscription facilities.
The instant credibility provided by the CAIA designation is significant as it signals to alternative asset professionals that you are on a level playing field. It enables initial meetings and discussions to be more productive than they would otherwise be without prior knowledge of alternatives. The comprehensive ongoing educational resources and the vast networking opportunities with other alternative investment professionals are also precious benefits of CAIA membership.
It is noteworthy to be part of the growing importance of alternatives in everyday investing. The traditional 60/40 equity/fixed income allocation is no longer sufficient to meet most individuals' investment and retirement needs. It is super exciting to be part of the explosion of alternatives on the scene, and to be a banking professional that understands how companies and individuals can appropriately use these products is something I aspire to every day.
About Ken Laudano
Ken Laudano is the SVP of Structured Finance & Private Equity at East West Bank. He is Chief Credit Officer for Structured Finance and Private Equity businesses. Ken’s responsibilities include screening, structuring, and approving structured finance and private equity lending exposures. He also holds the Financial Data Professional credential and a Master of Science in Financial Engineering.