Key Takeaways
- • Michael Yang, who previously served as Head of OMERS Ventures following his 2019 appointment, has departed from the role as part of a strategic organizational restructuring at the Canadian public pension fund.
- • OMERS has appointed Saar Pikar as Managing Director and Head of Ventures and Growth, replacing Yang as the fund pursues a strategic shift in its venture capital operations.
- • Laura Lenz has been promoted to Managing Director within the OMERS Ventures leadership team as part of the broader organizational changes.
- • The leadership reorganization includes structural changes across OMERS' investment divisions, with Michael Hill appointed Global Head of Infrastructure and Private Equity, directly reporting to President and CEO Blake Hutcheson.
- • The restructuring simplifies decision-making and reporting lines across multiple investment platforms, including infrastructure, private equity, equities, and multi-asset strategies.
Summary
Ontario Municipal Employees' Retirement System (OMERS), one of Canada's largest public pension funds, has undertaken significant changes to its investment leadership structure. The reorganization includes the departure of Michael Yang from his position as Head of OMERS Ventures and the appointment of Saar Pikar as Managing Director and Head of Ventures and Growth to lead the fund's venture capital operations going forward.
The strategic shift reflects OMERS' broader effort to streamline its investment organization and clarify reporting relationships. According to the pension fund's leadership announcement, President and CEO Blake Hutcheson stated that "these changes will simplify decision-making and reporting lines, create new opportunities for growth for several executives, and position OMERS very well for the future." Several senior executives, including Michael Hill, Scott McIntosh, Kenton Bradbury, Kal Patel, and Eric Plesman, have been repositioned to report directly to Hutcheson.
The restructuring extends across OMERS' major investment divisions. Michael Hill, who previously led the fund's global infrastructure investing program, has been elevated to Global Head of Infrastructure and Private Equity, combining oversight of both divisions. Alexander Fraser will continue to lead OMERS' private equity business, including its expanding global co-investment activities, while reporting to Hill. Scott McIntosh has been appointed Global Head of Equities & Multi-Asset Strategies, now overseeing both the Global Multi-Asset Strategies and Global Equities platforms.
Within the Ventures division specifically, Laura Lenz has been promoted to Managing Director alongside Pikar's appointment as head of the ventures and growth business unit. These changes represent a comprehensive realignment of OMERS' investment management structure intended to enhance operational efficiency and position the fund for continued growth across its alternative asset platforms.
The strategic shift reflects OMERS' broader effort to streamline its investment organization and clarify reporting relationships. According to the pension fund's leadership announcement, President and CEO Blake Hutcheson stated that "these changes will simplify decision-making and reporting lines, create new opportunities for growth for several executives, and position OMERS very well for the future." Several senior executives, including Michael Hill, Scott McIntosh, Kenton Bradbury, Kal Patel, and Eric Plesman, have been repositioned to report directly to Hutcheson.
The restructuring extends across OMERS' major investment divisions. Michael Hill, who previously led the fund's global infrastructure investing program, has been elevated to Global Head of Infrastructure and Private Equity, combining oversight of both divisions. Alexander Fraser will continue to lead OMERS' private equity business, including its expanding global co-investment activities, while reporting to Hill. Scott McIntosh has been appointed Global Head of Equities & Multi-Asset Strategies, now overseeing both the Global Multi-Asset Strategies and Global Equities platforms.
Within the Ventures division specifically, Laura Lenz has been promoted to Managing Director alongside Pikar's appointment as head of the ventures and growth business unit. These changes represent a comprehensive realignment of OMERS' investment management structure intended to enhance operational efficiency and position the fund for continued growth across its alternative asset platforms.
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