The CAIA designation provided me with a thorough introduction to alternative investments and the private markets. I was encouraged by a former manager to pursue the CAIA designation. In hindsight, I consider this one of the wisest decisions I have made, as it aligned with the future opportunities that would arise in my field of work a couple of years later.
Although the process of preparing for the CAIA was challenging, it proved invaluable during my transition from my previous responsibilities to my current position. The curriculum helped me to develop a deep understanding of the opaque nature of the private markets, and empowered me, and my team to evaluate numerous private programs and write research articles on alternative asset classes that were previously unfamiliar to me.
Achieving the CAIA Charter and then completing the Private Debt Microcredential program has expanded my knowledge of the evolving world of alternatives. The knowledge gained has given me a better understanding of the relationships between various fund structures and wrappers, as well as deepened my understanding of asset classes such as commodities, collectibles, and the ever-changing world of digital assets. Moreover, it provided guidance on how these assets can be incorporated into a client's portfolio. I appreciated the program's inclusion of integrated relevant topics alongside traditional alternative asset classes as some of these topics were relevant to the scope of my responsibilities.
Being an avid reader, I regularly keep up with the Chronicle of the Allocator and other insightful articles and follow-on readings that are made available to members via the CAIA website.
I am eager to actively participate in the Southwest CAIA Charter, of which I am part of, and make significant strides in expanding my network. I plan to engage in various networking events, personally connecting with my fellow CAIA members through networking events or via virtual webinars.
The CAIA designation has been a valuable asset to my career, and I would encourage anyone interested in alternative investments to consider pursuing it. As a CAIA Charterholder, my advice to aspiring industry professionals would be to continuously expand your knowledge, network with industry experts, and embrace a lifelong learning mindset to stay ahead in the dynamic and competitive alternative investments field.
About Ashish Phansopkar, CAIA, CFA
As the Associate Director of Due Diligence for Alternatives Investments at Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., my team is responsible for reviewing a wide range of non-traditional investments that are made available to financial professionals. This encompasses a wide array of choices, including conservative liquid alternatives, closed-end funds with intermediate liquidity, commercial real estate investments, E&P-focused drilling private programs, as well as CTAs and Master-Feeder vehicles designed to provide qualified investors access to hedge funds and private equity funds. In addition to my duties, I am also responsible for conducting research on unconventional types of investments and keeping up-to-date with the latest Fintech platforms that are facilitating access to different alternative products. I have been in the financial industry for 15 years, with 8 years in the private wealth management space. I have an MBA in International Business and am also a CFA Charterholder.