First year of innovative program saw more than 1,000 CFA candidates from dozens of countries pursuing the CAIA Charter for the benefit of the end investor
AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS (April 15, 2019) – The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, the global leader in alternative investment education, is marking the successful first year of their “stackable credential” program which allows a limited number of qualified members of CFA Institute to move directly to Level II of the rigorous two-part CAIA exam.
Since the program’s inception, more than 1,000 CFA charterholders from 30 countries have enrolled. Many of the largest asset owners, asset managers, and pension consultants are among the employers consistently seen in the profiles of the Candidates approved to participate in this program.
“We have been very pleased with the reaction to our stackable credential initiative and look forward to welcoming more CFA charterholders to the ranks of CAIA Members,” said William J. Kelly, CEO of CAIA. “We always looked upon this program as ultimately a benefit to the asset owners for whom we all have the pleasure and obligation to serve. The early indications are that we are attracting the type of professional who needs to have the requisite tools and training to approach an increasingly diverse set of product offerings.”
The essence of this pilot-based program came about as a result of a detailed mapping of all three levels of the CFA exam into the CAIA Level I program. The common learning outcomes cleared a pathway for the CFA charterholder to extend and demonstrate their learning across the entire risk premia spectrum, using the rigor of the CAIA Level II exam as the completion portfolio.
A recent research report by Preqin is forecasting a 60% growth in alternative assets in the next five years. Allocators and asset owners from the largest sovereign wealth funds to the mass affluent will continue to look beyond just the more traditional asset classes as they seek to augment the 60/40 portfolio allocation. Absolute return strategies or other uncorrelated asset classes will become even more common, as investors look for lower volatility and better risk-adjusted returns over time.
“The CFA Program and designation represent the highest distinction of professionalism in the investment management industry,” said Stephen Horan, CFA, CIPM, CAIA Managing Director, Credentialing at CFA Institute. “The partnership with CAIA highlights the combined benefits these two programs have for professionals involved in multi-asset strategies.”
Registration for the September 2019 exam cycle is now open, with discounts available for those who register before May 13th. The CAIA Association offers the only credential focused on the alternative investment space and has become the global benchmark for alternative investment education.
About the CAIA Association
The CAIA Association is the world leader in alternative investment education, offering the only education program uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments. The Association is best known for the CAIA Charter, an internationally-recognized credential granted upon successful completion of a rigorous two-level exam series, combined with relevant work experience. Earning the CAIA Charter is the gateway to becoming a Member of the CAIA Association, a global network of more than 10,000 alternative investment professionals located in more than 97 countries. The Association supports 30 global Chapters in financial centers in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America, including a Virtual Chapter that brings together Members from far-flung locations around the world. CAIA also offers the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments certificate program (“Fundamentals”), an introductory-level online course, designed to provide a foundation in the core concepts in alternative investing. This program represents a natural extension of CAIA’s mission to provide solutions to specific market needs for alternative investment education.
To learn more about the CAIA Association, contact Deborah McLean (413) 253-7373 or dmclean@caia.org. For more information on the CAIA Charter, please visit caia.org.
