Kirsty Jenkinson
The $369.6 billion California State Teachers’ Retirement System announced Thursday the promotion of Kirsty Jenkinson as senior investment director of private markets and sustainable investment and stewardship strategies.
Jenkinson joined CalSTRS in 2019 as director of SISS—a program within CalSTRS which aims to allocate capital to investments that create positive sustainability outcomes. In this role, Jenkinson launched and grew the multi-asset class SISS private portfolio, which includes investments in venture capital and infrastructure.
In that role, she also led CalSTRS net zero strategic priority since its 2021 adoption. In her new role, she will report to CalSTRS CIO Scott Chan. She will also succeed Mike DiRé, CalSTRS former senior investment director of private markets, who retired earlier this year.
In the new position, Jenkinson will provide senior leadership and strategic direction of CalSTRS’ private markets and SISS teams. She will also help implement CalSTRS’ sustainable investing, stewardship strategies and corporate governance, and will engage portfolio companies and asset managers to mitigate risk and add value to the CalSTRS portfolio.
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“Kirsty has a proven track record of leading motivated and high-performing teams throughout her career,” Chan said in a statement. “Her international experience gives her a unique perspective, which bolsters her ability to cultivate invaluable relationships with our partners. Her ability to innovate with multiple asset classes on complex, forward-focused projects makes her a great fit for this position.”
Jenkinson will become the fourth senior investment director at CalSTRS—a team of decisionmakers that advise the CIO on portfolio management strategies and decisions and make investment recommendations. This team also includes April Wilcox, June Kim and Geraldine Jiminez.
“I see this role as an opportunity to expand CalSTRS’ leadership as a global partner of choice in private markets and sustainable investment and stewardship,” Jenkinson said in a statement. “We have deep expertise across our teams, and I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to ensure CalSTRS continues to thrive as a diversified, long-term, global investor.”
Prior to joining CalSTRS, Jenkinson had been managing director and sustainable investment strategist at Wespath Institutional Investments, served as director at the nonprofit World Resources Institute’s markets and enterprise program and was director of governance and sustainable investment at BMO Global Asset Management.
Jenkinson holds a masters of arts degree in international history from the University of Edinburgh.
Related Stories:
April Wilcox Named Senior Investment Director at CalSTRS
Where CalSTRS’ Scott Chan Sees Opportunities
CalSTRS Names June Kim Senior Investment Director
Tags: California State Teachers’ Retirement System, CalSTRS
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