I was a little apprehensive when I registered to take the CAIA Level I Exam since I started preparing late in the year and wasn’t sure if I’d have enough time to complete the lengthy and rigorous study required to pass. It wasn’t a work requirement, but I wanted to build my knowledge and acumen to contribute more value in my role as Head of Strategy Implementation, Alternative Investments at MassMutual.
It was close to the holidays, and I didn’t want to have to crack open the books on vacation, but I was committed so I started reading the code of ethics and standards at the base of Wachusett mountain while my son skied with his friends. That was an appropriate start because I believe one of the most important values of a certification is to demonstrate one’s professionalism, integrity, and commitment to excellence in the field and becoming a CAIA Charterholder is the most distinguished certification with the highest standards in the Alternatives industry. Through time management, hard work, and the support of my family and work colleagues, I passed Level I on my first attempt and continued to complete Level II the following Spring.
Over this same period, a transformative experience was leading commercialization from idea to launch of MassMutual’s first-ever Private Equity SEC-registered 40-Act tender offer fund. It was designed to be accessible to individual investors, driving greater democratization of private markets and new income streams. I was responsible for developing and managing the new business and product roadmap and was the day-to-day program lead. It was incredibly rewarding to create the startup operating model and build the infrastructure and operations through a variety of hurdles and pivots, and ultimately launching the fund seeded with $100M of invested AUM.
In sharing my experience, I hope to inspire others who are new to the field to consider becoming a CAIA Charterholder. If you are curious and self-motivated, you can accomplish it and it’s worth it. Becoming a CAIA Charterholder has enhanced my credibility in the Investments and Insurance industries because of the breadth and depth of knowledge that I've gained across all alternative asset classes and strategies.
I believe that a CAIA professional designation will benefit both aspiring industry professionals as well as those who have been in the industry for a while because the curriculum is up to date, robust, and will expand your knowledge significantly.
I've truly enjoyed belonging to the global CAIA professional organization because of the opportunities to continue learning through frequent webinars and micro-credential online courses. I've also valued participating in several local Boston Chapter events such as socials and panel discussions which have been great for networking.
About Jennifer von Briesen, CAIA
Jennifer is a senior strategic leader who drives strategy and execution through complex problem-solving, data-driven insights, agile program execution, and key stakeholder engagement. She’s known for being a collaborative relationship builder with a strategic mindset and deep industry and global strategy management consulting and Fortune 500 operations experience in financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail.
Jennifer’s recent responsibilities include serving as Head of Strategy Implementation, Alternative Investments at MassMutual, and Vice President of Global Operations at State Street. Prior to these roles she was a global strategy management consultant to companies in a variety of industries (financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail) specializing in developing and implementing strategies for growth, improved performance, and competitive advantage.
In addition to being a CAIA Charterholder, Jennifer is a certified Strategic Management Professional (SMP). She received her B.Sc. from the University of Toronto and MBA. from IVEY Business School in Canada. She is currently taking courses in AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science to continue building her skills and knowledge, applying insights to her work.