Teachers' strengthens investments division senior leadership team, positions organization for continued global growth, innovation

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Jim Leech, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Teachers'), today announced senior leadership changes within the investment division.

"The vacancy resulting from Ron Mock's appointment to succeed me as CEO on January 1, 2014, was the catalyst for a strategic review led by Ron and Neil Petroff, Executive Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer," said Mr. Leech. "The result is a series of moves that will further strengthen our leadership pool as we prepare for the next stage of our evolution." Mr. Mock is currently Senior Vice-President, Fixed Income and Alternative Investments.

"Investment innovation is our edge at Teachers'. These moves are designed to bolster that competitive advantage through cross-department transfers and promotions at the senior-most levels that bring new viewpoints and perspectives to each asset class.  In other words," Mr. Leech said, "we expect the status quo to be challenged."

He stressed that these changes also recognize the increasingly global arena in which Teachers' operates and the challenges this represents. "We know that our global investment strategy and our ability to compete effectively for scarce investment assets will determine our future success," he said.

All of the following appointments, within the Investment Division, headed by Neil Petroff, are effective October 21, 2013:

Wayne Kozun: to Senior Vice-President, Fixed Income and Alternative Investments, replacing Ron Mock. Mr. Kozun joined Teachers' in 1995. Currently Senior Vice-President, Public Equities, he has held roles of increasing responsibility since then in Asset Mix and Risk, Tactical Asset Allocation and Public Equities.

Michael Wissell: to Senior Vice President, Public Equities. Mr. Wissell has been with Teachers' since 2002.  He currently is Senior Vice-President, Tactical Asset Allocation and Natural Resources, and has been a member of that department from the outset, in increasingly responsible positions.

Jane Rowe: Senior Vice-President, Teachers' Private Capital, has been given additional responsibilities for the organization's strategy for its growing physical presence internationally and for the Long Term Equities group.  In addition, she will replace Ron Mock on the board of Cadillac Fairview, Teachers' wholly owned real estate subsidiary, as well as taking over the chair of the Investment Division Credit and Counterparty Committee.  Ms. Rowe joined Teachers' in 2010.

Ziad Hindo: promoted to Senior Vice-President, Tactical Asset Allocation and Natural Resources.  He joined Teachers' in 2000 and currently is Vice-President, Global Opportunities and Natural Resources, responsible for foreign exchange execution, commodities and natural resources.

Andrew Claerhout: promoted to Senior Vice-President, Infrastructure. He currently is Vice-President, Teachers' Private Capital, where he heads the consumer, retail, and industrials group. He joined Teachers' in 2005 and headed the London office from its opening in 2007 until returning to Toronto in 2009.

Teachers' investment leadership team also includes Barbara Zvan Senior Vice-President and Chief Investment Risk Officer, and Dan Houle, Vice-President, Investment Operations.

Any follow-on appointments will be announced in due course, as the leaders of the departments affected complete their transition plans.

About Teachers'
With $129.5 billion in net assets as of December 31, 2012, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is the largest single-profession pension plan in Canada.  An independent organization, it invests the pension fund's assets and administers the pensions of 303,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario. For more information, including our 2012 and previous annual reports, visit www.otpp.com.  Follow us @OtppInfo

SOURCE Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan