“To keep moving CAIA’s mission forward, we need the guidance of a Board that encompasses all types of professionals and practitioners from the alternative investment space. Elizabeth and William are tremendously accomplished in their respective fields and the insight and experience they will bring to our efforts will be of great benefit for all involved,” added William J. Kelly, CEO of CAIA.
Addition of experienced professionals with strong backgrounds in institutional capital allocation and the Asia Pacific region, respectively, further build out the diversity of thought among CAIA’s board
AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS (September 10, 2020) – The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, the professional body for the global alternative investment industry, today announced Elizabeth Burton, CAIA, Chief Investment Officer, Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System, and William Ma, CFA, CAIA, Chief Investment Officer at Noah Holdings, have been elected to serve on CAIA’s Board of Directors.
“Elizabeth and William are each outstanding additions to our board, and I join my colleagues in welcoming them and looking forward to all that they will contribute to our efforts,” said Valerie Sill, CFA, CAIA Chair of the CAIA Board of Directors and CEO of Dupont Capital Management. “Elizabeth’s perspective as an allocator and William’s deep understanding of the Asian markets will make them invaluable resources for CAIA, our Members and our candidates as we continue to build our organization and be the premier voice for the alternative investment profession.”
Ms. Burton has been CIO with the Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System since 2018, and before that was Managing Director, Quant Strategies Group with the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System. She has also held senior positions with William Street Advisory, LLC, Criterion Economics, LLC, and First Annapolis Consulting.
“I earned my CAIA Charter in 2007 as soon as I knew I wanted to spend my career in alternative investments. CAIA offers the strongest curriculum for those wishing to understand how to allocate capital across all flavors of asset classes to meet a long-term investment outcome,” said Ms. Burton. “After being a proud supporter of CAIA from afar for over a decade, I am thrilled to be part of this evolving and exciting organization.”
Mr. Ma has been Chief Investment Officer with Noah Holdings since 2015. Noah is one of the largest Chinese wealth and asset management companies listed in the U.S. He is personally responsible for managing a team of 25 investment professionals in Hong Kong, 80 such professionals in Shanghai, and the overall Hong Kong office, which includes 120 professionals. Previously, Mr. Ma was Chief Investment Officer with Gopher Asset and also held senior positions with Gottex Fund Management, Penjing Asset Management and more.
“With the explosion of private capital and hedge funds in the region, it is clear that Asia Pacific is the next frontier for alternative investments growth. As the global body for alternatives, CAIA has a prominent role to play in shaping the professionalism and education of this next phase,” said Mr. Ma. “I am honored to contribute to the leadership of this noble mission.”
Ms. Burton and Mr. Ma join CAIA at an exciting inflection point in the organization’s growth story, as there are now more than 11,000 CAIA Charterholders worldwide. The organization recently made the very forward-looking decision to add an online proctoring option for all Candidates participating in its September 2020 exam cycle and earlier this year published a wide ranging report on “the next decade of alternative investments” which includes a detailed call to action for professionals in this space.
“To keep moving CAIA’s mission forward, we need the guidance of a Board that encompasses all types of professionals and practitioners from the alternative investment space. Elizabeth and William are tremendously accomplished in their respective fields and the insight and experience they will bring to our efforts will be of great benefit for all involved,” added William J. Kelly, CEO of CAIA.
# # #
About the CAIA Association
The CAIA Association is a global professional body dedicated to creating greater alignment, transparency, and knowledge for all investors, with a specific emphasis on alternative investments. A Member-driven organization representing professionals in more than 95 countries, CAIA Association advocates for the highest ethical standards. The organization provides unbiased insight on a broad range of investment strategies and industry issues, key among them being efforts to bring greater diversification to portfolio construction decisions to achieve better long-term investor outcomes. To learn more about the CAIA Association and how to become part of the organization’s mission, please visit https://caia.org/.
# # #
