Institutions across the globe welcome bevy of new leaders

The past couple of weeks saw a slew of changes and job openings at institutional investors, including a new CEO at Amundi and leadership moves at some of the largest sovereign wealth funds, retirement plans, endowments and money managers around the world.

Valerie Baudson was named CEO of Amundi, effective May 10.

She is replacing Yves Perrier, who will become chairman of the money management giant. Mr. Perrier, who has led Amundi for 14 years, replaces Xavier Musca as chairman.

Ms. Baudson is CEO of CPR Asset Management, a subsidiary of Amundi, and also leads the exchange-traded funds, indexing and smart beta business at Amundi. A spokesman said there is no news yet on any replacements, but any changes will be announced "in due course."

Ms. Baudson will also become a member of the executive committee and deputy general manager of Amundi's majority shareholder, Credit Agricole.

The news came as Amundi announced its full-year 2020 results, which saw assets under management increase 4.6% over the year to €1.73 trillion ($2.12 trillion) as of Dec. 31.

Assets were bolstered by €45.1 billion in net inflows for the year, compared with €107.7 billion in net inflows for the calendar year 2019.

Mr. Perrier said he "felt it was time to pass on the general management torch. I am pleased that Valerie Baudson has been chosen by the board, because I have total confidence in her ability to continue and amplify Amundi's development trajectory. It is the choice of competence, continuity and shared values."

At APG Group, Annette Mosman was named the first female CEO and chairwoman of the executive board, effective March 1.

Ms. Mosman will replace Gerard van Olphen, who will resign April 1, according to a news release Feb. 15.

Ms. Mosman has been a member of the APG executive board and has been chief finance and risk officer since February 2018. She is responsible for finance, risk management, IT and data. APG Group hasn't yet named a replacement.

APG Group manages the assets of the €492 billion ($592.7 billion) Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP, Heerlen, Netherlands.

In Malaysia, Amir Hamzah Azizan was appointed CEO of the 941.8 billion ringgit ($231.4 billion) Employees Provident Fund, Kuala Lumpur, effective March 1.

Mr. Amir Hamzah will replace Alizakri Alias, who took the helm at EPF in August 2018, according to an announcement on the EPF website.

The EPF gave no reason for Mr. Alizakri's departure after roughly 2½ years leading Malaysia's national defined contribution plan.

Pending approval from the Minister of Finance, Mr. Amir Hamzah will join the EPF from Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia's electric utility giant, where he was president and CEO.

EPF Chairman Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir, in the EPF news release, highlighted Mr. Alizakri's contribution to the EPF's "digital acceleration and operational efficiency, the adoption of ESG and sustainability as key metrics, as well as powering the social protection and well-being agenda."

In nearby Singapore, Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara will become executive director and CEO of Temasek Holdings, effective Oct. 1, the Singapore government-owned investment company said Feb. 9.

Mr. Pillay will replace Ho Ching in those roles, marking Temasek's first leadership change since 2004. Ms. Ching will retire and step down from Temasek's board Oct. 1, a news release said.

Temasek reported portfolio assets of S$306 billion ($214.6 billion) as of the March 31, 2020, close of its latest fiscal year.

Mr. Pillay also retains his responsibilities as CEO of Temasek International, managing Temasek's investment and portfolio activities.

In the release, Mr. Pillay cited Temasek's commitment to build "a better, more sustainable world."

Moving to Australia, Kevin O'Sullivan, chief executive of UniSuper, the A$90 billion ($69.1 billion) Melbourne-based super fund focused on employees in the higher education and research sectors, will step down later this year.

A UniSuper news release said Mr. O'Sullivan will leave the organization after eight years at the helm.

He will stay on until a successor is appointed. The news release said UniSuper has retained global executive search firm Egon Zehnder to assist in the search.

After 40 years in the workforce and "a very intense last eight years, I'm looking forward to stepping back and adding more flexibility to my life," Mr. O'Sullivan said in the news release.

Amy C. Falls was named vice president and CIO at Northwestern University, confirmed university spokeswoman Kayla Stoner.

Ms. Falls will oversee the Evanston, Ill.-based university's $12.2 billion long-term pool of endowment assets. She will replace William H. McLean, who left the university in October to become president and CIO of Spider Management Co., which oversees the $2.4 billion endowment for the University of Richmond. Mr. McLean joined the Richmond, Va.-based company Jan. 1.

Ms. Falls will join the university sometime in the spring. She is currently CIO of The Rockefeller University, New York, where she oversees the money management of its $2.3 billion endowment. She could not be immediately reached for further information.

Landis Zimmerman, vice president and chief investment officer of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Md., will retire later this year, confirmed Jim Keeley, spokesman for the $21 billion endowment.

An official departure date for Mr. Zimmerman's retirement has not been specified. Mr. Zimmerman said in a news release that it was "difficult to leave HHMI," but that he was "confident that (the) endowment is in very good hands."

Mr. Zimmerman has been CIO of the institute since 2004.

HHMI has retained executive search firm David Barrett Partners to seek a replacement.

At Bowdoin College, CIO Paula Volent announced she will step down June 30.

Ms. Volent, who has had the top investment position at the Brunswick, Maine-based college since the summer of 2000, is leaving "to pursue the next chapter" of her career, a news release said Feb. 11.

She oversees the college's $1.8 billion endowment. Further information about a potential replacement was not provided.

"Paula and her team have produced remarkable investment returns for Bowdoin that changed both the trajectory of the college and the lives of thousands of students who benefited from the financial aid resources generated from its endowment," said Clayton Rose, president of the college, in the news release.

Several other money managers also announced changes. Ben Way was named group head of Macquarie Asset Management effective April 1, a spokesman for the A$550.9 billion ($422.9 billion) Sydney-based manager said.

Mr. Way will replace Martin Stanley. Mr. Stanley will take on the new position of chairman, the spokesman said.

Mr. Way is Macquarie Group's Asia CEO as well as the leader of MAM's global alternatives division.

The spokesman said replacements for those positions will be named "in due course."

Rachel Lord was named head of BlackRock Asia-Pacific effective May 1, subject to regulatory approval.

Ms. Lord replaces Geraldine Buckingham, who took on the head of Asia-Pacific role roughly two years ago, according to a company announcement Feb. 9. A Hong Kong-based spokeswoman said Ms. Buckingham, facing COVID-19-related separations from her family, opted to switch to a new role as a senior adviser to BlackRock's Asia-Pacific business.

Ms. Lord will relocate to Hong Kong from London, where she was head of BlackRock's business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.