Mark Anson — former CIO of the $247.9 billion California Public Employees’ Retirement System, Sacramento — is leaving as CEO of Hermes Pensions Management in London to become president and executive director of investment services at Nuveen Investments. He will join Nuveen in early September.
Mr. Anson, who joined Hermes in January 2006, wanted to return to the U.S. for family reasons, said Richard Bernays, Hermes chairman.
“His father died in May, and he wasn’t able to get back before (his father died); that has been difficult for him,” Mr. Bernays said. “Then recently he learned that his wife’s father is very ill. He just feels that he needs to be close to his family, which is absolutely understandable.
“This is a great disappointment,” Mr. Bernays said. “He is an industry-leading figure who has done some very important things at Hermes.”
Mr. Anson has played a key role in helping improve the funding status of the £38.4 billion ($78.6 billion) BT Pension Scheme — which is managed by Hermes — including leading a portfolio restructuring that raised the fund’s alternative investments to 15% of assets from 7%, funded largely by reducing equities.
Rupert Clarke, head of Hermes Real Estate Investment Management, will be acting CEO of Hermes until a replacement is appointed.
Mr. Anson replaces John Amboian, who became CEO on July 1 following a buyout of the firm by Madison Dearborn Partners.
