Alternative fund trends to come under microscope at inaugural CAIA Association Jersey event

Thursday 11 June 2015

A rapidly evolving regulatory landscape and shifting investor trends mean that the Jersey based alternative fund industry and its professionals need to continue to invest in their professional development to stay ahead of the game, according to a leading fund expert at Deutsche Bank.

Jersey-based Dr Bastian Hertstein of Deutsche Asset and Wealth Management will be speaking at an educational event organised in conjunction with Jersey Finance later this month – the first such event held in Jersey in association with the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association, the leading alternative investments education body – where he will provide an overview of fund risk management, highlight recent regulatory developments and the opportunities for Jersey fund professionals to stay ahead of the curve.

The educational event, which will take place on Thursday 18 June from 5pm at Jersey Finance’s offices, will also showcase the CAIA designation, exams and capabilities. Other speakers will include Richard Corrigan, Deputy CEO of Jersey Finance, and Bill Kelly, CEO of the CAIA Association, who will give a short talk via video link, and Dr Keith Black, Managing Director of Curriculum and Exams at the CAIA Association, who will provide, also via video link, an overview of the CAIA designation, its syllabus and how education in this area remains relevant in today's environment.

Dr Hertstein, who is a CAIA charter-holder and specialises in risk management and governance for Deutsche Bank’s managed accounts and UCITS platforms, will  give a talk on hedge fund risk management and the impact of  the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), whilst there will also be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about the CAIA exams and designation.

Founded in 2002, the CAIA Association is a non-profit organisation and a leading authority in alternative investment education. It has a global network of 6,900 alternative investment leaders in more than 80 countries who have completed its program.

Dr Hertstein said: “There’s no doubt that Jersey has earned a fantastic reputation for its alternative fund expertise, and this is a great opportunity for local professionals to stay ahead of the curve in what has become an incredibly complex global environment, both in terms of regulation and investor demands. Deutsche Bank has a long-standing commitment to alternative investments and with that in mind we are delighted, in cooperation with Jersey Finance, to host the CAIA Association’s first ever  event on alternative investments in Jersey.”

Mr Corrigan added: “Jersey’s funds industry prides itself on its expertise, knowledge and high quality service levels and has earned an impressive reputation globally, with 2014 proving to be a very successful year for funds flows and more than 70% of funds business done through Jersey now in the alternative space. In the face of ever greater jurisdictional competition, however, it’s important to stay at the cutting edge of best practice and I’m delighted that we are able to come together with two leading alternative fund players to ensure Jersey practitioners have the opportunity to do that.”