Recorded Webcasts

In Q4 2022, Coinbase surveyed 140 institutional investors to gauge the sentiment of digital assets. 72% of respondents had a positive view and indicated that digital assets are here to stay. While many institutions may not have made a direct investment into digital assets (i.e. buying bitcoin), exposures to digital assets and blockchain technology are very likely in the vast majority of institutional portfolios whether it be through a venture capital fund, hedge fund, or publicly traded company. Given the prevalence and outlook for continued growth in this area, it is essential for investors to know what is in their portfolio and how it differs across the different avenues.

Are you familiar enough with the alternative investment landscape, and ready for all that’s ahead? What Do You Need to Know?

The world of alternative investments and interest in them has never been greater. Stimulated by investors keen to seek alternative forms of investment products, delivering differentiating return sources, and diversifying away from a more traditional equity / fixed income and cash portfolio, understanding this sector is key.

Watch as Jo and Will shared their views, provided key take-aways and answered your questions to ensure you’re ready to take advantage of what future career opportunities might hold.

This session covered the fundamentals of private debt strategies, followed by a short, moderated panel discussion on some current events and other considerations when looking at this $1 trillion+ industry.

Coverage included:

- The history and growth of AUM in these strategies
- Structural considerations of private loans
- An overview of the most common private debt strategies
- Expectations for risk and return

In this fireside chat and live demonstration, Cordell Tanny shared with Dr. Hossein Kazemi his journey through his financial services career and how it led him to the FDP designation. He described his experiences with the program and how the material learned in the curriculum helped him not just advance his knowledge of how machine learning and AI can be used in finance, but also how to apply many of the concepts to his daily workflow. By the end of the presentation, the audience had a better understanding of the importance of the FDP designation and gained insights into the journey of obtaining the FDP Charter. The audience also saw how open-sourced python libraries and financial data from free sources can be used to build innovative quantitative models.

Though our jobs revolve around money, how often do we stop and examine our personal and societal relationship to it? CAIA Atlanta hosted a panel discussion exploring more philosophical thinking about the role of money in our lives. We delved into:

- The benefits of cultivating an abundance mindset vs. a scarcity mindset in ourselves and others.
- The power of generosity and how it can improve our well-being.
- Practical tips to help us earn, spend, invest, and give with purpose.

To support FDP Candidates and those considering the pursuit of the FDP Charter, we offered a brief, live webinar with our Curriculum & Candidate Relations team to help prepare you for your exam experience. A typical Orientation Session includes:

• Review of sample exam questions.
• Learn exam-taking tips.
• Have your questions answered by our exam experts.

The CAIA Boston Chapter presented a virtual panel discussion of global leaders who have led significant financial service organizations through periods of change and innovation over the last couple of decades. Learn how they have taken, adapted, and augmented those skills in this new era of digital disruption and innovation 2.0, under the broad heading of DeFi. How do they assess the new opportunities within a sea of disruption, and learn why the underpinnings of risk management, process, and procedure remain so critically important for a sustainable business model.

Today, ESG is no longer just an acronym but a reality, expected to reach a third of assets under management by 2025. It is spreading across all asset classes, including the less liquid ones. ESG now defines the new frontier of alternative investments. Our speakers had a lively discussion on the recent trends in alternative investments, how ESG impacts the alternative investment business and the important role of data.

An increasing number of allocators are looking to European private credit, both as a diversifier to US direct lending and a return driver, in its own right. This educational seminar unpacked key areas of the market, ranging from European direct lending to non-sponsor, to real estate lending, specialty finance and everything in between. Along the way, we discussed the risk/return profile of each segment and specific considerations when allocating to this space. We also discussed the impact of some of the key macroeconomic and geopolitical developments, such as the war in Ukraine and a rate-raising campaign by central banks.

We covered reading materials, study tools, preparation for exam day, the demo exam and a review of the testing options. FDP Candidates have two options for taking the FDP Exam:

Option 1: Prometric Test Center (April 10-23, 2023)
Option 2: Remote Proctor Testing: (April 23 & 24, 2023)

FDPI Senior Advisor, Hossein Kazemi and Project & General Operations Manager, Kim Durand shared how you can obtain your Financial Data Professional credential.