Yale endowment's second-in-command stepping down

Dean Takahashi, senior director at Yale University’s investment office, is stepping down from the position to devote his time to helping combat climate change, he said in a statement emailed by spokeswoman Karen Peart.

Mr. Takahashi, who joined the New Haven, Conn.-based investment office in 1986, said with the endowment portfolio is “excellent shape,” he is moving on to work with the Yale community to develop “new approaches to reducing greenhouse gases.” The nature of that position will be formally disclosed in the coming weeks, he added.

Mr. Takahashi works as the second-in-command of the university’s $29.4 billion endowment behind Chief Investment Officer David Swenson, who said in his own statement, while he will missing seeing his friend and colleague of over four decades, “I’m thrilled to cheer him on as he embarks on a new adventure that will change our planet for the better.”

“Dean’s intellect, enthusiasm and creativity contributed mightily to Yale’s pioneering approach to managing endowment assets, which benefited not only the University, but also higher education in general and institutional investors of all sorts,” Mr. Swenson said.

Mr. Swenson also added there are no plans to replace Mr. Takahashi and that “Yale’s endowment will be well served by the depth and experience of the existing leadership team.”