
State Street Global Advisors, the US-based asset manager with $2.6trn under management, says it has hired Matt DiGuiseppe and Robert Walker, from TIAA’s Nuveen arm and HSBC Bank, respectively, for its Asset Stewardship team. DiGuiseppe becomes head of the Americas and Walker becomes head of EMEA for the team. SSGA added that it is recruiting a head of Asset Stewardship for the Asia Pacific region. Head of Corporate Governance Rakhi Kumar expands her role and becomes Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Asset Stewardship, reporting to Lynn Blake, chief investment officer for SSGA’s Global Equity Beta Solutions. Kumar now leads a growing team across SSGA’s ESG Investments and Asset Stewardship groups, including Chris McKnett, head of ESG Strategists.
The United Nations is recruiting a Representative of the Secretary-General (RSG) for the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), whose assets exceeded $60bn for the first time last month. The Assistant Secretary-General level post, currently held by Carol Boykin, reports directly to the Secretary-General and is responsible for overall investment policy and investment management. One of the job criteria is for direct knowledge of and experience of “social responsibility considerations”. Link to job ad.
Keith Craig has been named as chairman of CamberView International, a new role at the shareholder activism and investor engagement advisor that was founded by former Global Head of Corporate Governance at BlackRock, Abe Friedman. Craig, who joins the CamberView board, is founder and Managing Director of Westbury Partners and former CEO of Hakluyt & Company. Announcement
Jennifer Halliday, chief financial officer at the £60bn Universities Superannuation Scheme, the UK’s largest pension scheme, resigned on March 31 — according to the fund’s annual report. She joined USS in 2014 from Quaker Chemical Corporation, and spent 13 years at Vanguard Group. Glen Lucken has been appointed CFO in the interim until a permanent replacement is found. It comes amid an estimated deficit at the fund of £12.6bn.
Mervyn Tang has joined MSCI ESG Research as Vice President and Head of ESG Research in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) ex-Japan region, based in Hong Kong. He joins form Fitch Ratings where he was Director, APAC Sovereigns, responsible for sovereign analysis and macro forecasting. He has also worked at Citigroup, the Bank of England and the British Embassy in Washington. Kristiina Karkkainen has joined as an ESG Consultant based in London.
Heather Brilliant, CEO of Morningstar Australasia, is stepping down, according to reports. Industry Moves said she has been in the role since 2014 and is leaving to become managing director, Americas with Colonial First State Global Asset Management/First State Investments based in New York. She would be replaced by Jamie Wickham, who is currently Asia-Pacific head of products and solutions at Morningstar.
VisionFund International’s President Michael Mithika has been appointed CEO at the microfinance subsidiary of World Vision. He will now relocate to Nairobi from London to take up the role at the organisation which currently holds a loan portfolio of $509m – up 18% this year.Michelle Cunningham is retiring as Deputy Chief Investment Officer at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). She has been with the fund for 27 years and was its first ever internal investment officer. Before this, all investment staff were external contractors. She was hired in 1991 when CalSTRS’ total fund was valued at $35bn.
Dr. Judith Rodin, the former president of the Rockefeller Foundation, has stepped down from the board of the Global Impact Investment Network (GIIN). She will continue as Board Member Emerita. Giselle Leung, who first joined the GIIN in 2010, has been promoted to Managing Director.
Chris Sier, the Newcastle University professor who’s a prominent campaigner for cost transparency in the asset management sector, has been asked by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to head a working group looking at how to make asset management costs clearer.
Tim Gokey, Chief Operating Officer at securities servicing firm Broadridge Financial Solutions, now has the additional title of president. He assumes the title from CEO Rich Daly, who remains CEO and a director. Gokey joined Broadridge in 2010 as Chief Corporate Development Officer and was promoted to COO in 2012.
David Grim, Director of the Division of Investment Management at the SEC, will leave the agency next month after more than 20 years of public service. He joined the division, which oversees the US’s $70trn asset management industry, directly from law school.
Hazel Henderson, Founder of US based Ethical Markets Media, has been appointed to the Board of ECOR, the US circular economy and sustainable materials specialist. Henderson is a well-known sustainable finance economic analyst and author.
Glen Murray, Ontario’s former Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has become Executive Director of the Pembina Institute, the Canadian clean energy think-tank. Murray, who has also served as Chair of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, takes over from Ed Whittingham.
Melanie Whinnery has been named executive director of the $56.2bn (€47.6bn) New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS). Currently Deputy Comptroller for the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS), Whinnery replaces Diane D’Alessandro, who retired at the end of 2016.
Finland’s former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb has been appointed Vice-President and Member of the Management Committee of the European Investment Bank (EIB). Succeeding Jan Vapaavuori – who resigned in June 2017 – Stubb will have oversight of EIB operations in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and several other countries outside the EU.
Peter Preisler, head of global investment services for Europe, Middle East and Africa, is reportedly leaving T. Rowe Price after over 14 years to “pursue other opportunities”. Investment Week reported that Robert Higginbotham, head of global investment services at the firm, would take responsibility for the EMEA business while it looks for a replacement.