Karyn Williams is joining Two Sigma Advisers as managing director and the hedge fund manager's first head of client solutions next week.
Ms. Williams will oversee the firm's advisory business that assists institutional clients by providing customized investment strategies and technology solutions, said Nobel Gulati, CEO of Two Sigma Advisers.
“It's a very exciting time for us. There is very important demand from many of our clients” for these services, Mr. Gulati said, adding that Two Sigma was intent on finding a candidate for the new position like Ms. Williams who has had similar experience to that of the firm's investors. The search process that resulted in the hire of Ms. Williams took nearly a year, he said.
Ms. Williams is chief investment officer at Farmers Insurance Group, Los Angeles, where she is responsible for investment of about $25 billion in general account, pension fund, deferred compensation and operating funds.
“I'm looking forward to developing a holistic set of tools to help clients meet their goals,” Ms. Williams said. “What really interests me is innovation and transformation that puts technology at the center of the investment process,” she added.
Maite Irakoze Baur, head of insurance investments, was named acting chief investment officer “as we look to name a permanent replacement,” said Luis Sahagun, a Farmers spokesman, in an e-mail.
Two Sigma Group, composed of Two Sigma Advisers and Two Sigma Investments managed $35 billion as of June 30.
