The $101.2B United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund has named Robert Joseph van der Zee as the acting representative for investments of assets — a role equivalent to chief executive officer.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced in a press release that Van der Zee will serve in the acting position until Feb. 15, 2026. He succeeds Toru Shindo, the fund’s chief investment officer, who had been serving as acting representative.
Shindo stepped in as an acting representative, following the departure of Pedro Guazo to join the $1.3T Northern Trust Asset Management as the head of its international and responsible investing team in June.
Before joining the pension plan, Van der Zee served as the chief financial officer at the World Food Programme (WFP) and brings three decades of experience in financial management. He joined WFP in 2005 as global treasurer, was promoted to deputy director of the finance and treasury division in 2013, and became director of the corporate finance division in 2018.
He began his career in financial services at ABN AMRO Bank in 1995, undertaking assignments across the Netherlands, Ireland, Hungary, Greece, and Spain. His focus was on financial institutions and public sector clients, delivering solutions in debt capital markets, structured finance, and transaction services.
“A global, open and regular competitive selection process for the role will soon be launched,” the press release confirmed.
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