Unlock your team's full potential by cultivating a thriving culture, driven by shared values and clear communication, for unparalleled, sustainable success.
A healthy culture is the oxygen by which you accomplish the work of the organization. It breathes life and vitality into the collective work of the enterprise.
It gives meaning and connection to a shared purpose or goal.
And it is predictive of sustainable outsized investment performance.
And yet, cultivating healthy organizations has rarely been a defining characteristic of the investment industry. Why?
And how can we accelerate the profession’s social license with a renewed focus on culture?
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association
CAIA Association is a global network of forward-thinking investment professionals, redefining the future of capital allocation in a world where traditional and alternative investments are converging at an unprecedented pace. United by a commitment to improving investment outcomes, we lead with authority, educate to inspire, and connect people who turn insight into action. CAIA Association creates dynamic and captivating learning experiences designed to engage investment professionals at every level. Its programs – the CAIA Charter and the CAIA.nxt™ platform – offer critical levels of access to a comprehensive curriculum that equips the investment community with the skills and knowledge needed to build modern portfolios. CAIA Association is a global member-driven community of more than 14,000 professionals, united by a shared commitment to improving investment outcomes and building a more aligned, principled capital market system.
Chief Executive Officer, Columbia Investment Management Company
Kim Y. Lew is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Columbia Investment Management Company, responsible for managing the University’s endowment. She came to Columbia from Carnegie Corporation of New York, where she worked for more than a decade, most recently as Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. Lew began her career at Chemical Bank as a credit analyst, after receiving her B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She went on to graduate with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1992, after which she joined Prudential Capital Group and then the Ford Foundation, where she spent more than a decade, first as a portfolio strategist investing in the technology sector and then as a senior manager responsible for the organization’s private equity investments.
CEO of Verger Capital Management
Jim is responsible for setting the course for the company, leading our corporate strategy and ensuring that Verger remains competitively positioned to serve our clients’ complex needs. He served as Verger’s Chief Investment Officer from inception until July 2023, overseeing all investment decisions of the firm, and prior to founding Verger, was Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at Wake Forest University, responsible for investment of the University’s endowment, working capital, and life income assets. Before joining Wake Forest, Jim served as Managing Director at Wilshire Associates Inc., and Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager for Wilshire Funds Management, the money management arm of Wilshire Associates. At Wilshire, Jim was responsible for providing leadership on asset allocation, investment policy, and investment manager selection. Jim served as the Chairman of the Wilshire Funds Management Investment Committee and served as Portfolio Manager for all of Wilshire Funds Management’s alternative investment portfolios. Jim holds a B.B.A. in Finance from Villanova University, where he was a member of the NCAA Division I men’s varsity soccer team. Additionally, Jim currently serves as a member of the Institutional Investor Endowments and Foundations Advisory Board and as the Treasurer of the James Denmark Loan Fund. He also sits on the SEI Canada Independent Review Committee as an Independent Director.
