Retirement Industry People Moves

BNY Taps Minaya as Global Head of Investments and Wealth 

Jose Minaya

The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. has named Jose Minaya its global head of investments and wealth. Minaya, formerly head of TIAA’s asset management arm, Nuveen, will join the company on September 3, reporting to Robin Vince, BNY Mellon’s president and CEO, and will be a member of the firm’s executive committee.

His appointment follows Hanneke Smits’s decision to retire; she will continue in her current role until September 3, at which time she will transition to chair of BNY Investments through the end of 2024 to support the transition, according to the firm. 

“I am delighted to join BNY, a historic institution with a legacy of helping clients achieve their ambitions and advancing the future of finance, and to lead a globally renowned asset management and wealth franchise with deep relationships around the world,” said Minaya in a statement.  

At Nuveen, Minaya was president and chief investment officer responsible for overseeing all operating and investment activities across equities, fixed income, real estate, private markets, natural resources, alternatives and responsible investments.  

He joined TIAA in 2004 as a fixed-income portfolio manager after more than 10 years of investment experience at firms including AIG Inc., Bank of America Corp.’s Merrill and JPMorgan Chase & Co.  

Itami Joins Lathrop GPM 

Allison Itami

Lathrop GPM LLP announced that Allison Itami has joined the firm’s business transactions practice group in Minneapolis as an employee benefits partner.

This marks Lathrop GPM’s ninth lateral partner hire in 2024 as part of its commitment to strategic growth. Itami is also the second partner to join the firm’s team in Minneapolis in the past month. 

Itami joins Lathrop GPM from benefits firm Groom Law Group, where she counseled employers and financial institutions on Employee Retirement Income Security Act fiduciary duties of prudence and loyalty and related prohibited transactions applicable to retirement plans and individual retirement accounts. Itami also advises on the application of fiduciary laws to health and welfare benefit offerings, including a unique focus on captive insurance and reinsurance in health and welfare benefits. 

“Lathrop GPM’s cutting-edge business transactions work provides unmatched opportunities to expand both my practice and the firm’s breadth of services,” said Itami in a statement. “It’s a strong fit culturally, and I look forward to working with such a talented team.” 

Maxwell Joins Pentegra as Head of Strategic Accounts 

Mike Maxwell

Mike Maxwell was named head of strategic accounts for Pentegra Retirement Services, where he will focus on developing strategic level enterprise and advisory relationships with distribution and recordkeeping organizations.

Maxwell joins the third-party administrator with retirement plan experience and nearly 20 years of work cultivating strategic relationships with retirement industry organizations, according to Pentegra’s announcement. 

Prior to joining Pentegra, Maxwell spent the last 18 years of his career at Empower, MassMutual and The Hartford. Previous roles include national account director, broker/dealer, director, national key accounts and manager and retirement plans group new business.  

MSCI Appoints Munari Chief Product Officer 

Alvis Munai

MSCI has named Alvis Munai as chief product officer. Munari, who has been serving as chief client officer, will continue to report to Baer Pettit, MSCI’s president and chief operating officer.

Munari will be responsible for leading product development and innovation by working to drive collaboration between MSCI’s product teams and the firm’s client coverage, marketing, research, technology and data teams. Munari has 20 years of prior financial industry experience, including in product innovation leadership roles at Goldman Sachs, Bank of America Corp.’s Merrill and Morgan Stanley.  

With Munari’s appointment, Alex Killian will be promoted to chief client officer, now reporting to Pettit. Killian joined MSCI in 2020 as head of client coverage for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and has 25 years of experience in the investment industry.  

McGlynn Appointed as Director of National Partnership Sales, at Pacific Life 

Pacific Life Insurance Co. has promoted Christopher McGlynn to director of national partnership sales from the role of national sales director of defined contribution lifetime income and pension risk transfer, according to the firm. 

McGlynn will collaborate with key national strategic partners to optimize opportunities related to distributing Pacific Life’s joint defined contribution lifetime income retirement solutions. 

His responsibilities include establishing joint partnership visions, planning go-to market activities, supporting partner strategy execution, monitoring market trends and analyzing sales data to drive results.