About Charlie Henneman
Charlie Henneman is the Program Director for CvilleBioHub, an accelerating organization advancing life sciences in central Virginia, where he lives with his wife Laurel and dogs Billy Ray and Tweed, splitting time between his homes in Charlottesville and Buckingham County, VA.
Before joining CvilleBioHub in 2022, he was head of educational events and programs at CFA Institute, where he produced a global portfolio of conferences and executive education programs for professional investors.
Previously, he was the director of structuring and operations at Indosuez Capital, the CDO (collateralized debt obligation) management group of Credit Agricole Indosuez, and before that held several positions in credit and structured finance, including managing director at advisory boutique AGS Financial, senior vice president and chief credit officer in the new products and ventures group at Enhance Financial Services Group, Inc., and director in the new assets group at Standard & Poor’s Structured Ratings.
He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Rochester and an MBA in Finance from the New York University Stern School of Business. He is a lapsed CFA Charterholder.
Charlie enjoys cooking, writing, 20th-century music, and outdoor adventures.
Blue Ocean: Tell us about your professional journey. What inspired you to pursue this career, and what continues to fuel your passion for the profession today?
Charlie Henneman: I didn’t start with a clear plan. In college, I considered a career in broadcasting—I ran the campus radio station, covered sports, and DJed. But I wanted to move to New York, so I took a job at a bank, not because I dreamed of working in finance, but because I needed to pay the bills. I started in a low-level job at Manufacturers Handover Trust, earning $19,000 a year, walking 50 blocks to save subway fare. Eventually, a client hired me, and I moved into a small money management firm where I got my first exposure to investing. That sparked my interest, and I pursued an MBA in finance at NYU to deepen my knowledge.
That opened the door to a 12-year career in structured finance. I spent five of those years at a rating agency, which was an incredible environment for learning. We’d analyze deals, present to committees, and scrutinize each other’s work. That constant exchange taught me to think critically and understand risk from multiple angles. But as I advanced, the work became repetitive. To stay challenged, I enrolled in the CFA program to supplement my time at S&P, continuing to learn even when my job wasn’t pushing me as much.
By 2004, I had a young family and wanted to leave New York. I happily gave up my finance career to lead global educational events at CFA Institute. I spent 16 years curating conferences and working with brilliant people worldwide. I left during the pandemic and entered what I call my third career at CvilleBioHub, a non-profit startup supporting early-stage companies in Virginia, where I do everything from planning events to buying ice. It’s a very different environment, but I love it and the work is meaningful.
Blue Ocean: What does a typical day look like for you?
Charlie Henneman: There’s no such thing as a “typical” day. I am constantly managing multiple events that are all in different phases of the event lifecycle. Some are just ideas, others are weeks away. If something’s coming up soon, I’m coordinating with speakers, handling logistics, or helping with outreach. At the same time, I might be laying groundwork for events that won’t happen for another year or two.
A big part of my role is understanding what’s happening in the regional life sciences space and what our audience cares about. Coming from the CFA Institute, I am used to recruiting global speakers, but my current focus is on central Virginia. It’s a very different pace and scope, but still requires a lot of listening and research. I often meet with people in the community to better understand how we can support them through our programming.
Because we’re a small team of seven, I wear many hats. I handle everything from event planning to grant-related responsibilities, and I often represent CvilleBioHub at local events. After each program, I send thank-you notes and sometimes hand-deliver speaker gifts. There’s a lot of scrambling, but I enjoy the pace and the direct connection to the work.
Blue Ocean: Which emerging trends in your field most excite you?
Charlie Henneman: Even though I’m not a scientist, and was honestly a terrible science student in high school, I’m excited by what’s happening in biotech. Two major trends that stand out to me are gene editing and AI.
CRISPR and gene editing have huge potential. The costs are high right now, but that will change. We are just beginning to see how these tools can treat conditions that have long been difficult to manage.
Artificial Intelligence is the other big one, especially in drug discovery. It can analyze drug-protein combinations at a speed humans can’t match, which may dramatically shorten development timelines. I’m actually planning a program on this soon. These tools are reshaping how we think about healthcare solutions, and even from the outside, it’s exciting to watch.
Blue Ocean: Can you share a particularly complex project or initiative you led and how you approached it?
Charlie Henneman: Rather than focusing on one project, I’d say the most complex initiatives involved entering new territory—literally and figuratively. At CFA Institute, I launched events in countries we’d never operated in. In my finance career, I developed a framework at Standard & Poor to analyze property tax lines and securitization, something no one had done before.
In both cases, the approach was the same: build the right team. Complexity demands collaboration. When I was doing international events, I worked with incredible planners who handled everything from contracts to catering. Doing that overseas adds layers of difficulty—customs, currency conversions, unfamiliar vendors. It takes a well-coordinated team to pull it off.
Blue Ocean: You’ve earned a strong reputation. How do you and your team stay ahead in the highly competitive industry?
Charlie Henneman: It is important to build trust. People need to know they can count on you and that you’ll follow through. Transparency helps build that trust.
Staying current is easier than ever. I’m not a scientist, but thanks to tools like AI, I can learn enough to stay informed. If I’m preparing a panel on cell and gene therapy, I can ask AI for the top six risk factors and get a useful summary. I can even use it to draft an agenda and tailor it from there. These tools help me bridge the knowledge gap and still deliver high-quality content.
Blue Ocean: What core values or principles do you believe every great professional should uphold, regardless of their practice area?
Charlie Henneman: I’ll share a story. In 2001, I was networking for a job in structured finance. During a phone interview, a VP described the role and pay. Then he said, “Pardon my French, but we don’t need any dickheads here.” I immediately thought, “I want to work for this guy.” That became a running joke, but the principle stuck with me. That team was great. Fourteen solid contributors, no egos. It’s amazing how one toxic person can disrupt a group. So my rule is simple: “Don’t be a dickhead.”
The second is to help people. My career didn’t follow a straight line; I got where I am because others helped me. Now, I try to pay it forward. Anyone who’s worked for me has a standing reference, and I always make time for students or alumni. I call it “career karma.”
Blue Ocean: What are some common misconceptions people have about your field of work?
Charlie Henneman: People often underestimate how complicated events are. When an event runs smoothly, it looks effortless. But that means someone stayed up late, double-checked every detail, and solved problems before they surfaced.
If an event is chaotic, everyone notices. But when it goes well, the hard work behind the scenes is invisible. In this line of work, the details matter more than most people realize.
Blue Ocean: What do you see as the most unique contribution you bring to your work, especially when navigating complex partnerships or high-impact initiatives?
Charlie Henneman: I’m funny in a crisis. I’ve led my team through events where lots of things went wrong and somehow, I had the right temperament, not freaking out when something happens.
You have to be able to lead people. All of these things are very complex because you need people who have your back; you need to be able to trust people to take care of things without you looking over your shoulder. Trust and humor are the two things that I bring to every organization I am a part of. If you’re lucky and you have the right people around you, you can build a really good team on that platform.
Blue Ocean: Tell us about Indian Gap and what makes it special.
Charlie Henneman: Indian Gap is a farmhouse in rural Buckingham County, Virginia, on ancestral land that’s been in my family since colonial times. I grew up visiting my grandparents there, exploring wildlife, spending hours in the creeks and ponds, catching turtles and frogs.
My father inherited it and planned to retire there, but he died young. When the property passed to me, I was living in New York and wasn’t interested in owning a large rural property. But my wife and I decided to make it part of our lives. We moved to Virginia in 2004.
Now, I spend most weekends there. During the pandemic, I built six miles of trails through the woods. It’s beautiful but also a ton of work. We gather there for holidays like Thanksgiving. There’s also a cemetery a mile from our house with seven generations of our family. It means a lot to be part of that legacy. I hope my children value it as much as I do. But I’m also realistic. It’s expensive and time-consuming. I won’t pressure them to keep it. I just hope they see it’s worth it.
Blue Ocean: What advice would you offer to aspiring professionals entering the profession today?
Charlie Henneman: First, show up. That alone makes you stand out. Contribute to your team, recognize your own weaknesses, and take the time to improve. Everyone starts somewhere, and growth is a process.
Second, think in terms of “talent stacking.” The cartoonist Scott Adams describes this idea. It’s pretty simple: the more diverse skills you develop, the more unique and valuable you become. In my case, I combined financial education with strong writing and public speaking. That combination set me apart and shaped my entire career.
Lastly, keep a journal. I’ve been writing since I was 14, and it’s changed how I see the world. Writing makes you a better thinker. In the age of AI, writing becomes part of your routine and changes your outlook on the world. When you write regularly, even difficult experiences become stories worth telling. It helps you find meaning and perspective in your day-to-day life.
Blue Ocean: What hobbies or interests do you enjoy outside of work?
Charlie Henneman: I am very interested in music. Back when I lived in New York, I was an avid collector across genres, especially reggae, jazz, and blues. I was really into the Jamaican music scene and followed the SKA revival closely in the ‘90s. When CD reissues surfaced rare singles and long-lost recordings, especially from producers in Jamaica, I was hooked. I spent weekends walking through the East Village, hitting my six favorite record stores, and coming home with bags of CDs. My wife used to say, “More CDs? Are you kidding?” I even had to buy extra furniture to store everything.
Though I don’t collect anymore, I still enjoy digitizing my collection. A lot of it is music I haven’t listened to in years, so rediscovering has been fun. Outside of music, I also love to cook. I’m the main cook in our house and have been for years. When I wasn’t traveling for work, I made it a point to be home in time to make dinner. Cooking’s a creative outlet for me and something I really enjoy.
I also play basketball, though I’m currently on the injured list. In Charlottesville, I’ve got a couple of pickup groups I play with, mostly fellow “old guys” on a short court. I even brought Sameer to a game back in 2018. On top of that, Indian Gap is also a full-time hobby. I try to get down there at least once a week. Right now, I’m rebuilding a tenant house that was damaged by a fallen tree. There are always new projects and things to do down there.
Blue Ocean: Is there a guiding principle, philosophy, or quote that has significantly influenced your career and life?
Charlie Henneman: I would say, don’t be a dickhead. It’s simple, but it covers a lot. Treat people well, stay grounded, and don’t take yourself too seriously. Second, look at things through a writer’s lens. That means paying attention to nuance, context, and the way people communicate. It helps with empathy, decision-making, and leadership.
Also, humor helps. Try to be funny when you can. It makes things easier for everyone. And finally, trust people who are willing to trust you. Mutual respect goes a long way in both personal and professional relationships.
Conclusion
Charlie Henneman is a living reminder that success doesn’t always start with a clear destination. Sometimes, it’s about showing up, staying curious, working hard, and trusting the people around you. Charlie’s incredible three-part career in structured finance, global events, and his role as program director of CvilleBioHub in Charlottesville, VA, reflects a career built on expertise, humility, humor, growth, and a deep sense of purpose. Charlie approaches life with a writer’s eye and a steady commitment to doing the right thing. His story values growth, compassion, integrity, and staying human in everything he does.
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