Noelle Laing has been named the sole chief investment officer of Builders Vision — an impact investment platform and family office of an heir to Walmart's founder — according to a news release May 1.
It is a new position, as it consolidates the three investment strategies of the Chicago-based multibillion-dollar organization — which include direct investing, asset management and philanthropy. Laing will lead a combined team of close to 30 investors, the news release added.
Previously, Laing was CIO of Builders Initiative, the philanthropic arm and foundation that manages a $1.7 billion endowment. In 2022, when the overall organization had $4 billion in assets overall, 90% of the portfolio of the foundation transitioned to sustainable mission-aligned investments.
Laing will continue to oversee the endowment’s portfolios and guide the organization’s impact investment efforts.
Additionally, she will now lead management of the organization’s asset management arm, which has a portfolio that invests across public and private markets through external investment firms, as well as co-investments.
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far — consistently demonstrating the successful outcomes of our sector-driven, systems approach” Laing said in the release. “We are well positioned for the long-term with our market-rate strategies”
Also a family office, the organization was founded by CEO Lukas Walton, a grandson to Walmart founder Sam Walton.
“Noelle has been instrumental in the success of our investment strategies and is the perfect person for the job,” Walton said in the release. “With her depth of experience, Noelle will unite our talented investors under one team and together they will inspire further co-investment and help catalyze markets.”
Laing takes over as investment chief of the asset management arm, Builders Asset Management from Rebecca Carland, who transitioned from its CIO to senior adviser in December. Carland left the organization in April to join the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami, as the first CIO of its $2.6 billion endowment.
Builders Vision’s mission is to bolster the quality of agricultural sectors, oceans and the energy transition.
