At podium: Bryan White, manager, Pension Investments, RTX
Editor’s Note: If you’ve been
following us on LinkedIn, you are likely aware that Markets Group has been
inducting CIOs into the Chief Investment Officer Hall of Fame with special ceremonies
during our events. It is a peer-nominated award, meant for CIOs who have
contributed significantly to the industry.
While meeting the constant demands of their firms, the markets, and protecting their beneficiaries’ investments, CIOs often have to walk the delicate line of inspiring and retaining top talent that has the aptitude to be lured elsewhere. Nominated for her acumen as a CIO and her many contributions to the industry as well as her mentorship, we recently had the privilege of inducting Robin Diamonte, Chief Investment Officer of RTX (formerly known as Raytheon), into the CIO Hall of Fame during our New England Institutional Forum. Guest speakers included Britt Harris, David Holmgren, Erik Knutzen, and, from her investment team, Bryan White.
White’s speech was short but eloquent, and seemed to share, from the perspective of a different generation, what a top leader personifies. With his permission, we are sharing it. Diamonte is known for coaxing the best out of her investment team and giving them enough freedom to learn. Rumor has it, poachers have attempted to lure her teammates away with generous offers, yet they have chosen to stay under her leadership. Here's a hint as to why.
- C. Giordano
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White’s Speech
I’m not exactly sure how I ended up drawing the short end of the stick to go last, but nonetheless it’s an honor to be here among industry icons like David, Eric, Britt and of course Robin, who all have accomplishments that I can only dream of. Robin has had a profound impact on the RTX team, including myself. A few of my colleagues have worked with Robin for over a decade, so I decided to ask them a question, that in hindsight, seems impossible to answer:
What does Robin mean
to you?
There were a few consistent themes
in their responses that I thought were worth highlighting. The question clearly
triggered an emotional response. Eyes began to water, eye contact became fleeting,
and the first few phrases uttered were completely incoherent. Once they
regained the ability to communicate, another pattern emerged. Robin is all
about the team. She was instrumental in getting everyone to participate in
investment committee meetings. She consistently goes to bat for us and is
willing to complain about any issue, no matter how trivial, if it will make us
happier. People love working for her and you don’t have to take my word for it,
the lack of team turnover speaks for itself.
When I decided to try to answer
the impossible question, I ran into the same struggle my colleagues did. Words
felt inadequate, and still do to a large extent. Robin has impacted me in so
many different ways, but I think three lessons stand out the most.
One: celebrate everything.
No event is too small to celebrate. It feels like every few weeks we’re having
lunch, cake, or for a birthday, graduation, or just because - why not? This fosters
an environment that feels more like a second family than just a team.
Two: change your mind. Robin
has the admirable ability to change her mind quickly in the face of new
information. In a recent meeting, she went from thinking I was “absolutely
crazy” and “trying to kill her” to fully supporting my position within ten
minutes.
Three: approach life with humility. When I see Robin, I don’t see the CIO with four lifetime achievement awards; I see the leader of our group whose favorite artist has 14 face tattoos. Internally, Robin makes us forget who she is because she doesn’t want us to remember. We far too often take her for granted and lose sight of the impact she’s had on the industry. So, Robin, for all the times we’ve forgotten in the past and will inevitably do so in the future, thank you. Thank you for being an incredible investor, a best-in-class fiduciary, a fantastic mentor, and an even better friend.