The $369.6B California State Teachers’ Retirement System appointed Kirsty Jenkinson as senior investment director of private markets and sustainable investment and stewardship strategies (SISS).
Jenkinson succeeds Mike DiRé, former senior investment director of private markets, who retired earlier this summer. She will report to Scott Chan, CalSTRS chief investment officer, noted a press release.
In her new role, she will provide senior leadership and strategic direction to the real estate, private equity, inflation-sensitive, collaborative strategies, and SISS teams. Jenkinson will also oversee the implementation of sustainable investment strategies, stewardship strategies, corporate governance, and engagement of portfolio companies and asset managers to mitigate risk and add value to the total fund. As well, she will oversee the management of internal and external investment portfolios.
“Kirsty has a proven track record of leading motivated and high-performing teams throughout her career,” said Chan, in the news release. “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 joined the pension plan in 2019 as the director of SISS, a position she’s held for nearly seven years. During her tenure, she launched and grew the multi-asset class private portfolio with a mandate to invest opportunistically in climate solutions across a wide risk-return spectrum, from venture capital to infrastructure, said the release. She has also led CalSTRS’ net-zero strategic priority since its adoption in 2021.
She is the fourth member of CalSTRS’ team of senior investment directors, which includes Geraldine Jimenez (public markets), June Kim (total fund management), and April Wilcox (strategic operations and management).
Jenkinson has more than 30 years of experience in the global financial services industry spanning investment banking, asset management, policy and asset allocation. Her roles in both the U.K. and the U.S. have encompassed senior leadership, strategy development, portfolio management, and research and analysis.
Related: CalSTRS promotes April Wilcox to senior investment director
