Retirement Industry People Moves

Matos Promoted by Principal

Principal Asset Management promoted Andrew Matos to chief financial officer for workplace savings and retirement solutions to take on additional responsibilities to his previous role, as head of stock plan services overseeing employee stock ownership plan and equity compensation plan capabilities.

Andrew Matos

In the CFO role, Matos replaced Michael Garvin, who has transitioned roles to chief financial officer of the life insurance business for benefits and protection at Principal, says a spokesperson.  

Matos reports to Lou Flori, chief financial officer for retirement & income solutions at Principal and Teresa Hassara, senior vice president of workplace savings and retirement solutions at Principal.

Principal hired Matos, in May 2023.

Pirondini Promoted to CIO at Amundi US

Amundi Asset Management has promoted Marco Pirondini to executive vice president and CIO of Amundi US, the firm announced in a press release. Pirondini will succeed Ken Taubes, who was Amundi US’s CIO for the past 15 years and worked at the firm for 25 years.

Pirondini’s appointment is effective January 1, 2024. Taubes will stop down from his role as CIO to focus on his existing portfolio manager responsibilities, the press release stated. Pirondini, who currently serves as head of equities, will assume oversight of investment operations at Amundi US, overseeing equity, fixed income and trading. He will also serve as chairman of the US investment committee and will serve on Amundi’s global investment committee. 

Pirondini was previously global CIO at Pioneer Investments between 2004 and 2010, a firm acquired by Amundi. He was also head of global equity research and European equity research at Pioneer. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bocconi University in Milan, Italy. 

Amundi US is the U.S. arm of French investment manager Amundi, the largest asset manager in Europe by AUM, currently managing $2.13 trillion in assets. The firm offers investment solutions across a broad range of asset classes to institutional investors, wealth management firms and distribution platforms across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. 

First Eagle Builds Out New High-Yield Municipal Credit Team With Pickering

First Eagle Investment Management LLC announced the hiring of Bryce Pickering as head of high-yield municipal credit trading. Pickering will be responsible for the trading activity across the high-yield municipal credit team’s strategies.

Pickering is the newest hire for the team, joining CIO John Miller, who starts on January 2, 2024, and COO Carl Katerndahl.

“We are building a superb high yield muni capability at First Eagle, and I am thrilled that someone of Bryce’s exceptional caliber has elected to join us,” Mehdi Mahmud, First Eagle president and CEO, said in a statement. “We are excited to begin offering the team’s strategies in the marketplace early next year. The unique risk/return characteristics of municipal bonds are an important part of the investment toolkit for all types of retail and institutional investors, and particularly for the financial advisers we serve.”

Established in October 2023, the high-yield municipal credit team broadens the range of differentiated investment solutions First Eagle provides clients alongside the offerings of its global value, small cap, First Eagle Alternative Credit and Napier Park teams.

Joelson Joins Savvy Advisors as Founding Principal Wealth Manager, Global Investment Strategist

Savvy Advisors Inc., a registered investment adviser affiliated with Savvy Wealth Inc., announced that Marisa (Maya) Joelson has joined the firm as a founding principal wealth manager and global investment strategist.

Joelson joins Savvy after having worked as an adviser at Perigon Wealth Management and Merrill Lynch. In 2017, Joelson founded Meta Point Advisors as her platform to share thought leadership content related to current events and their impacts on the global market.

Prior to Merrill Lynch, Joelson was based in London, where she served as a macroeconomic and financial adviser to the CEO and senior leadership at Rio Tinto, then the world’s second-largest mining company.

“As we continue our efforts to reshape the wealth management industry, it is imperative that we recruit professionals who can offer in-depth analysis and informed recommendations,” Ritik Malhotra, co-founder and CEO of Savvy Wealth, said in a statement. “What Maya brings to the table is truly unique. With her deep understanding of economic affairs and her knack for simplifying complex concepts, we are confident that she will help us build a future where advice is seamlessly integrated, personalized, and centered on delivering extraordinary client experiences.”

Northern Trust Asset Management Names International Head of Quantitative Strategies

Northern Trust Asset Management, a leading global investment management firm with $1.09 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, announced Guido Baltussen as its international head of quantitative strategies.

Guido Baltussen

In this newly created role, Baltussen will lead NTAM’s international quantitative strategies investments to support growth, including quantitative research and innovation, thought leadership and investment strategy. Baltussen will report to Michael Hunstad, Northern Trust Asset Management’s deputy CIO and CIO of global equities.

“Guido’s wealth of experience in factor investing in equity, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies is a tremendous addition to NTAM’s global quantitative strategies business,” Hunstad said in a statement. “With decades of demonstrated ability to deliver value to clients through our quantitative investment strategies, NTAM is reinvesting in this important area of the business and growing our international client capabilities.”

Based in Amsterdam, Baltussen will oversee the firm’s expanding international quantitative teams in the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions. Baltussen’s appointment seeks to strengthen NTAM’s investment capabilities and innovative solutions for clients around the world. NTAM has $31.7 billion in assets under management in quantitative strategies, as of September 30.

Mirova Hires Detobel, Verpoucke as US Business Executives

Mirova, a Paris-based sustainable investment manager, announced the hiring of Stéphane Detobel and Francis Verpoucke as part of the company’s U.S. team, Mirova US LLC, serving North America.

Stephane Detobel

Francis Verpoucke

Detobel and Verpoucke will initially promote Mirova’s global equity, global fixed income, energy transition infrastructure and private equity strategies. In the future, Mirova intends to open its natural capital expertise to North American investors as well.

The pair has worked together for more than two decades, first at Amundi in Europe and North America and then at TOBAM as North American managing directors. The duo will now be based in New York and report to Zineb Bennani, who was appointed as CEO of Mirova US earlier this year.

Mirova is an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, one of the world’s largest asset managers, with more than $1 trillion in assets under management. Mirova US was established in 2017 and currently manages $9.4 billion, most notably through the development of its global sustainable equity strategy.