Robert J. Raab Jr. resigned as vice chairman and senior managing...

Robert J. Raab Jr. resigned as vice chairman and senior managing director at Wilshire Associates, according to spokeswoman Kim Shepherd. "After much deliberation, I have decided that it would be best for my family and for me to consider alternative professional options that will allow me to continue to spend more time with them in the coming years," Mr. Raab said in an internal memo issued Jan. 5. He was ending a nine-month leave of absence that started in spring. Dennis Tito, chairman and CEO, assumed Mr. Raab's responsibilities during his sabbatical, and Wilshire is not now searching for a replacement, Ms. Shepherd said. Mr. Raab was responsible for the analytics division, which he headed since 1976. He also developed the firm's equity risk model and optimization capability and founded the firm's fixed-income division.

Steven J. Buller was named manager of the $987 million Fidelity International Real Estate Fund, said Sophie Launay, spokeswoman. He replaces Matthew D. Lentz, who left last week to pursue other opportunities, Ms. Launay said. Mr. Lentz could not be reached for comment. Mr. Buller will continue to manage the $8.29 billion Fidelity Real Estate Investment Portfolio.

Steven Pierson and Joseph Hershberger will join Credit Suisse as managing directors in the financial institutions group, reporting to David Platter, head of financial institutions investment banking for the Americas, said spokeswoman Karen Laureano-Rickardsen. The positions are new. The two will cover traditional and alternative asset managers, private and custodial broker-dealers and various financial technology companies. In a telephone interview, Mr. Hershberger said the move will give him the ability to "bring more products to my client base" in areas such as equity and debt capital markets. Both Messrs. Pierson and Hershberger come from Putnam Lovell NBF Securities; Mr. Pierson was a managing director and head of the financial institutions group, and Mr. Hershberger was a managing director responsible for the asset management practice. Three managing directors - Aaron H. Dorr in New York, Roger F. Hartley in San Francisco and Kevin J. Pakenham in London - will now lead Putnam Lovell NBF's financial institutions group, under the direction of President John B. Griff. While Putnam Lovell NBF won't be looking to replace Messrs. Pierson and Hershberger specifically, the firm has been, and will continue to be, in recruitment mode, spokesman Richard Chimberg said.

Sharon French was named managing director, defined contribution business development and client relations, at AllianceBernstein Institutional Investments, confirmed Stephanie Giaramita, spokeswoman. It is a new position, and she reports to Richard A. Davies, senior managing director, institutional defined contribution services. She was managing director of the Western division of AllianceBernstein's retail organization. Jeff Place, former head of sales at WM Funds Distributor Inc., replaced her.