Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP) Designation: Exclusive Discount

The Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP) Designation opened for registration a few weeks ago and there are only 185 spots left in the program. Market Folly readers receive an exclusive $50 discount to the CHP, so take advantage of it while you can. Once those spaces are gone, registration will close until Spring 2011.

The CHP is a designation like the CFA or CAIA, except it is targeted specifically at the hedge fund industry and can be completed 100% online within 6-12 months. Once you complete the program, you will have boosted your credibility/resume, enhanced your knowledge of the industry, and will gain access to a huge networking group of professionals. Not to mention, you can use their job placement services and recruiting connections. Additionally, you'll have lifetime access to HedgeFundPremium.com, as well as the webinars, study guides, and guidebooks. You can learn more about the CHP designation here.

Here are some testimonials from readers who have completed the CHP designation:

Andy R., Hedge Fund Manager: "As a former hedge fund manager looking to launch a new fund in the next year, I was intrigued by the prospect of increasing my knowledge and understanding of a variety of platforms, strategies, and new regulations that are likely to come through the CHP. I believe that this designation is long overdue way to separate the wheat from the chaff in an industry that, while currently in a down cycle, will remain as an integral component for financial planning and asset allocation in the future."

Sumeer Kapila, Technical Analyst: "(The) CHP Designation is a focused program, a program which details and provides inside information of the hedge fund industry's standards and strategies. The study guide provides you with the rules of the game, keeping you informed about the legal and regulatory perspective. This program helps you to keep the integrity of the market by raising industry standards."

Dominic Di Bernardo, Student: "I've taken this hedge fund certification program to expand my knowledge base of the hedge fund industry (there is little learned in school about this industry). I also believe that this designation will give me an edge over others trying to enter the industry. And lastly, I believe that I will be able to gain valuable contacts through this program, other designation candidates, and anyone else that stands behind this designation."


Keep in mind that the program comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee or they will give you your money back. Click here to learn more about the CHP program & to receive the exclusive discount.

Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP): 14 Spots Left

In the past, we've provided updates regarding the Chartered Hedge Fund Associate (CHA) designation. And, we've even secured an exclusive $50 discount for MarketFolly readers. Today we're here to update you that the CHA is now known as the Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP). They have rebranded the certification because they have expanded participation from 200 associates each session to 350 professionals in order to accommodate the large amount of hedge fund managers and senior traders signing up for the program. The program still has all the same benefits, only the name has changed. Additionally, to celebrate the rebranding, they've added free workbooks, educational videos, and access to all the networking events. Best of all, Market Folly readers can still get the exclusive $50 discount by entering their information below! There are only 14 spots left for this session so act quickly if you're interested.

The CHP is like the CFA or CAIA except that it focuses exclusively on hedge funds. It is a great tool to expand your knowledge, further your certification, and make yourself stand out from the crowd if you're applying for jobs. Not to mention, it's a great networking tool. (You can read more about it here). We highly recommend it and you can read numerous testimonials here. Participants include hedge fund managers, traders, analysts, financial advisors, asset managers, consultants, students, and more.

Don't worry, you can still receive the Market Folly discount on any of the old sign-up forms as well as the one below. But remember, you have to enter your information through our form in order to receive the exclusive discount. There's only 14 spots left so hurry before the window closes. The CHA is now the CHP.



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CHP Designation: Only 45 Registration Spots Left!

Just wanted to give everyone an update and let you know that there are only 45 available registration slots left for the Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP). The Fall 2009 sign-up was open to 200 participants and it has filled up very quickly. We'd recommend acting fast to get one of the last 45 registration spots. The CHP is similar to the CFA or CAIA, except it is specifically geared towards hedge funds. Whether you're an asset manager, a hedge fund manager, or someone looking to get into the industry, this designation can help build your knowledge base and credentials. Not to mention, it opens up a fabulous set of networking opportunities to professionals in the field.

And remember that all Market Folly readers receive the exclusive $50 discount. In order to receive it, simply enter your information in the fields below. Submitting your information through the form below identifies you as a Market Folly reader and ensures you receive the discount should you go on to register.



Sign up now, because otherwise you'll have to wait until the registration period opens again next Spring. If you're unfamiliar with the CHP Designation, we've posted an informative interview with Richard Wilson, the founder of the program. Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here. (Email & RSS Readers: you have to come to the blog to enter your information).

CHP Designation: $50 Discount Exclusively For Market Folly Readers

Hey everyone, we just wanted to make sure that all of our readers are taking advantage of the special discount we have arranged with the Hedge Fund Group (HFG) for the Certified Hedge Fund Professional program. All Market Folly readers can receive the exclusive $50 discount and all you have to do to is fill out your name and email at the bottom of the page to receive the discount. Our site specific form will show them that you are a MarketFolly reader and the discount will be automatically applied should you decide to register. The form below is not signing you up for the program, it is merely signing you up to receive more information about it. If you then go on to register, it will automatically apply the discount for you!

The CHP is similar to the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) but it is specific to hedge funds. The CHP is ideal for industry professionals trying to build their knowledge and credibility and is also a great tool for those of you wanting to break in to the industry. If you want to learn more about the CHP designation, then you can check out our interview with Richard Wilson, the founder of the program: Part 1 here, and Part 2 here. Additionally, there have already been numerous testimonials from the program and we wanted to just post up a few of them:

From Andy R. (Hedge Fund Manager) : "As a former Hedge Fund manager looking to launch a new fund in the next year, I was intrigued by the prospect of increasing my knowledge and understanding of a variety of platforms, strategies, and new regulations that are likely to come through the CHP. I believe that this designation is a long overdue way to separate the wheat from the chaff in an industry that, while currently in a down cycle, will remain as an integral component for financial planning and asset allocation in the future."

From Soumen Gopal (Hedge Fund Manager): "There are three reasons why I joined this hedge fund certification program. The first is the focus: this program is focused very deeply on the hedge fund industry, performance, and investment strategies. The second important point about this program is the speed of completion, as many other programs take much longer to complete. The last reason was the networking benefits. You can come out of this program and attend networking events and meet others in the industry and this is very helpful."

From Dominic Di Bernardo (Student): "I am taking this hedge fund certification program to expand my knowledge base of the hedge fund industry. I believe this designation will give me an edge over others trying to enter the industry. Lastly, I believe that I will be able to gain valuable contacts through the program, other designation candidates, and anyone else that stands behind the designation."

Enter your contact info below to learn more about the CHP designation & to receive the exclusive MarketFolly $50 discount:



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CHP Designation (Certified Hedge Fund Professional): Registration Now Open

Today, the Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP) Designation re-opened for registration and we wanted to let you know that all MarketFolly readers get an exclusive $50 discount. In order to receive more information, enter your info at the bottom of this page. The CHP is similar to that of the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst), but it is geared specifically towards hedge funds. This is the perfect thing to bolster your background & employment profile if you are looking for a hedge fund job. Additionally, if you're already in the industry, this professional certification can boost your knowledge of the industry and further your credibility. There are only 200 spots available for this round of registration so sign-up fast! During the last registration period, there was a ton of interest generated with our exclusive MarketFolly $50 discount, so take advantage of it before it fills up.

If you want more information regarding the Certified Hedge Fund Professional Designation, we've done some in-depth posts in the past. We interviewed CHP founder Richard Wilson so make sure to check out Part 1 of our interview and Part 2 as well. All MarketFolly readers are eligible for the exclusive $50 discount that we've arranged with the CHP thanks to Richard. By entering your name & email in the form below, it will recognize that you are a MarketFolly reader and the discount will be automatically applied if you go on to register. Filling out this form will not sign you up for the program, but it sets you up to receive information and ensures you will get the discount, so enter your info below!

Enter your contact info below to learn more about the CHP designation:



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CHP Designation: Limited Spots Left

Just wanted to remind everyone that if you're interested in the Certified Hedge Fund Professional (CHP) Designation, to sign up for more info below. The CHP is similar to that of the CFA or CAIA, but is geared specifically towards hedge funds. There are only around 40 spots left for this round of registration! There has been a ton of interest generated with our exclusive MarketFolly $50 discount, so hurry before registration is full.

If you missed our posts on this, then be sure to check out Part 1 of our interview and Part 2 as well. All MarketFolly readers are eligible for the exclusive $50 discount that we've arranged with the CHP thanks to Richard Wilson. By entering your info in the form below, it will recognize that you came from MarketFolly and the discount will be automatically applied if you go on to register. Sign up now before registration fills up!

Enter your contact info below to learn more about the program:



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CHP Designation - Certified Hedge Fund Professional (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Richard Wilson about the CHP Designation - Certified Hedge Fund Professional. The CHP is a designation similar to the CFA and CAIA, but specifically geared towards hedge funds. We are also pleased to announce a MarketFolly exclusive $50 discount off of registration (more details on that below). Since many of our readers are in the industry or desire to be in the industry, we figured this could be very useful. (Note: sign-up fast, because spots are very limited).

We asked him a ton of questions about the program and he gave us a great overview. We already presented Part 1 of the interview on Wednesday. Now, here's the rest:

7. Do you think credibility or prestige will be an issue being a new designation?

While media outlets such as the Financial Times, Alpha Magazine, and Institutional Investor have covered us a few times, many hedge fund managers and professionals are still learning about who we are and what we are trying to do. Some businesses and certification programs come and go so it will take 2-3 years to gain the trust and credibility that we will need to take our program from 300-400 participants a year which we are at now to 1,000+ participants a year. We are open to media interviews, input from hedge fund managers, and we constantly seek feedback from participants to help us continually improve the program itself and our image within the industry.

8. How many applicants are you expecting each year and how many do you think will pass?

In 2009 we predict having 400 total participants and we believe that roughly 250-300 of these will pass the exam to hold the Level 1 charter. A 70-75% pass rate is what we expect for 2009. We believe in making the exam very challenging but failing 50% of those who take the exam as some designations do sounded extreme to our team, especially when participants are forced to pay full registration fees for each exam they sit for.


9. Do you think its a bad time to launch such a designation given the consolidation and somewhat chaotic nature of the industry right now?

We believe it is needed more than ever. There has never been a more competitive time to be seeking new hedge fund clients, partners, or jobs. We believe the CHP Designation can act as a tool for those professionals who need to break new grounds in one of these three areas. I'm sure if we had started the designation several years ago we would be of a much larger size by now but we are fortunate to have the team and advisory board we have now and we are here to stay. Our program is well capitalized and there is no risk of discontinuation in the forseeable future.


10. What about those trying to break into the industry? Will it be beneficial to them and are they allowed to take it?

The CHP Designation program was initially aimed at those who were not yet in the industry or those who were in their first 2 years of entering the hedge fund world. What we found, however, was that many highly experienced professionals were enrolling for our program because of its well rounded learning objectives and focus on hedge fund strategies and due diligence. For example one trader who started a hedge fund in 2006 just enrolled into our CHP Level 1 program because while he is an expert at trading and runs his own hedge fund he wanted to learn more about fund of hedge funds and how to evaluate hedge fund performance. Around 80% Of the professionals who complete the program already work within the industry.


11. The CHP offers networking and mentoring opportunities, which can be a great resource. Was it one of the goals to also build a community around the designation? Also, what are some of the other benefits?

The community really came first and helped seed the idea of starting the CHP Designation. The Hedge Fund Group (HFG) is the 17,000 person networking association which launched the CHP Designation. This group has members from every major city around the world, with over 4,000 hedge funds being represented by participants who have joined the group. The HFG holds networking events several times a year within the US and will soon begin offering these outside of the US as well.


12. There have been many different charters created over the years... Why will yours succeed and what gives it staying power?

The staying power of our certification program is partnered with the staying powers of the hedge fund industry itself. Our program is well rounded and applicable to almost any professional who works with hedge funds. At the same time, hedge funds may invest an almost anything and while struggling now as an industry, their diversity and sheer force in numbers should allow them to be first in line once the market turns again. Regardless of additional regulations, I believe hedge funds globally will come back to full strength over the next 3 years and our program hopes to grow with them over this same time period.

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Make sure you also check out Part 1 of the interview. Thanks again to Richard for answering our questions. It sounds like the CHP is ideal for both professionals already in the industry looking to advance their career, as well as those looking to break into the industry. (Note: sign-up fast, because spots are very limited). Also, a special thanks to him for helping to arrange the $50 discount exclusively for MarketFolly readers. Please note: The only way to be able to receive the MarketFolly $50 discount is by using the form below.

Submit your contact details to learn more about the CHP Designation program:




(Email & RSS feed readers: You have to come to the blog to submit your contact info)

CHP Designation - Certified Hedge Fund Professional

We recently sat down with Richard Wilson to interview him about the CHP Designation - Certified Hedge Fund Professional. The CHP is a designation similar to the CFA and CAIA, but specifically geared towards hedge funds. We are also pleased to announce a MarketFolly exclusive $50 discount off of registration (more details on that below). Since many of our readers are in the industry or desire to be in the industry, we figured this could be very useful. We asked him a ton of questions about the program and he gave us a great overview which we'll deliver in two parts: Part 1 today and then Part 2 on Friday. (Note: sign-up fast, because spots are very limited). Let's get right to it:

1. Tell us a little about the CHP: What is it? How did it get started? What's your affiliation with it?

The CHP Designation is an online certification program on the topic of hedge funds. It got started through a combination of factors which included our team's realization that every other designation out there was built for analysts or risk managers and at the same time our team had received over 1,000 emails asking us about how one could learn more about hedge funds or earn a degree relevant to hedge funds. We connected all of the dots and launched the program in June of 2008 with an advisory board of 10 professionals and a team of 3. Today we have a team of 6 professionals and an advisory board of over 60 hedge fund and fund of hedge fund professionals. I founded the Hedge Fund Group (HFG), a 17,000 person networking association which sponsors the CHP Designation program.

2. What's the one reason people should apply for the CHP designation?

Efficiency would be the one common reason. Whether you are starting a hedge fund, completing due diligence on hedge funds for a wealth manager, marketing a fund of hedge fund or hoping to eventually work for a hedge fund you will be more effective if you are up to speed on industry terminology, trends, norms, history, and popular hedge fund investment strategies. This specialized knowledge can be gained through our program and help professionals of all types.

3. Why should people choose the CHP over (or in addition to) the CFA or CAIA?

The CFA and CAIA are great programs but they are by their nature focused on minting new analysts and providing specific training on conducting types of analysis. The CHP Designation program is more conceptual and well rounded and built for traders, analysts, portfolio managers, accountants, lawyers, marketers and others who work with hedge funds such as wealth management professionals.

4. (Also) What are the main differences between the CHP and those other designations? How does the degree of difficulty for obtaining a CHP compare to those others in terms of rigor and thoroughness?

The main difference between the CHP and the other designations, besides the non-analyst centric foundation is that the program is offered 100% online. The registration, studying, and exam is complete over the internet; there are no testing centers or specific geographical requirements to completing the program. The CHP Designation is more thorough in covering the hedge fund industry as a whole but less thorough in covering the specific analytics involved in the analysis of securities, real estate, or commodities.

5. I see there are currently 2 levels of certification. Are there plans for a third? And along those lines, do you expect the program to evolve along with the hedge fund industry and how so?

Level 1 provides a foundation of hedge fund knowledge while Level 2 allows professionals to choose a specific area of specialization within the program. There are no plans for a third level to the designation. We initially attempted to keep the designation to one level to keep the program simple but found two levels were needed to really customize the program for each participant. We do expect the program to evolve along with the hedge fund industry. Between our team and board of advisors consisting of 60 industry professionals, we are constantly keeping a pulse on industry changes and long-term trends which will affect the entire industry in the next few years.


6. Who do you anticipate the most applicants to be? Hedge Fund analysts or whom?

Most participants work within the hedge fund industry or work with hedge fund professionals from time to time. Specifically, the most popular groups have included hedge fund managers, due diligence professionals, wealth management experts, graduate students, and consultants/service providers.

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Thanks to Richard for taking the time to sit down and answer our questions. It sounds like the CHP is ideal for anyone looking to further advance their career, build their resume/CV, or develop their knowledge of the industry. (Note: sign-up fast, because spots are very limited). Also, a special thanks to him for helping arrange the exclusive MarketFolly $50 discount. Also check out Part 2 of the interview, which is now published. Please note: The only way to be able to receive the MarketFolly $50 discount is by using the form below.

Submit your contact details to learn more about the CHP Designation program:



(Email & RSS feed readers: You have to come to the blog to submit your contact info)