Global leader in alternative investment education now has 25 Chapters around the world
AMHERST, MASS. (21 April 2016) – The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, a global leader in alternative investment education, yesterday marked the launch of its newest global Chapter in Ireland. CAIA Ireland, the organization’s 25th worldwide Chapter, will become a hub for CAIA Members, Candidates, educational institutions, and other alternative investment industry participants to meet, learn and network as the Irish alternative investment community continues to grow and innovate.
CAIA marked the occasion with a launch event in Dublin where several alternative investment industry experts took part in a panel discussing “Alternative Investments in Ireland – Cottage Industry or New Frontier.”
“CAIA has long counted a number of Irish professionals among the ranks of our Charter holders,” said William J. Kelly, CEO of CAIA. “We are thrilled to be launching our CAIA Ireland Chapter, which brings together professionals with deep knowledge, experience, and ties in the Irish alternative investment community.”
Kelly added that one of the major factors behind CAIA’s decision to launch this new Chapter was the steady increase in the number of candidates taking Level 1 of CAIA’s rigorous two-part exam, the first step towards earning the coveted CAIA Charter. “The number of Irish professionals taking our Level 1 exam increased by more than 100 percent from 2014 to 2015,” said Kelly. “That’s a testament to the growth of the alternatives space in Ireland and a clear opportunity for us to engage with these Candidates as they become Members and embark on the next phases of their careers.”
“The alternative investment community in Ireland is growing quickly as investors place greater emphasis on allocating to alternatives. The CAIA Ireland Chapter will serve to connect and educate professionals across the industry, helping them to develop their skill set as they look to meet the alternative investment needs of their clients,” said Ken Gaye, Senior Consultant and Head of Investment Management at KB Associates and Chapter Head of CAIA Ireland. “CAIA is committed to excellence in education and the panel discussion we just hosted is the first in a series of educational and networking events for our members and for those interested in learning more about alternative investments and CAIA.”
While CAIA Ireland is new, this marks the second time in less than a year that CAIA has actively engaged with the Irish financial services community. In June 2015, CAIA and Ireland’s Institute of Banking (IOB) began a strategic partnership that has enabled participants in the IOB’s Certified Investment Fund Director (CIFD) Programme to access CAIA’s Fundamentals of Alternative Investments Certificate Program (FAI), a 20-hour online course designed to provide a foundation in the core concepts of alternative investing.
The CAIA Association also has two academic partners in Ireland, University College Cork’s MSc Corporate Finance Programme and Trinity College Dublin, School of Business. These partnerships provide scholarships to students and faculty who are interested in earning the CAIA Charter.
The CAIA Association offers the only credential focused on the alternative investment space and has become the global benchmark for alternative investment education. The CAIA Charter, an educational designation uniquely designed for individuals specializing in institutional-quality alternative investments, is granted upon successful completion of two levels of qualifying exams combined with relevant professional experience and joining the Association membership.
The Association now supports 25 global Chapters in financial centers in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and in North America, including the recent launches of Chapters in the Cayman Islands and India, as well as in the form of a Virtual Chapter that brings together members from far-flung locations in more than 60 countries.
CAIA sponsors more than 120 educational and networking events each year and has 37 academic partnerships with leading universities, including 16 in the Americas, 11 in EMEA, and 10 in Asia Pacific.
About the CAIA Association
The CAIA Association is the world leader in alternative investment education, offering the only education pro-gram 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 8,000 alternative investment professionals located in more than 80 countries. 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 mail to:dmclean@caia.org. For more information on the CAIA Charter, please visit caia.org.
