Kim Lew Named Columbia Investment Management Company CEO

Kim Lew, Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at Carnegie Corporation of New York, has been named the next President and Chief Executive Officer of the Columbia Investment Management Company, responsible for managing the University’s endowment. Her appointment comes after an extensive national search led by President Lee C. Bollinger and Anne Sullivan, Columbia’s Executive Vice President for Finance and Information Technology. Lew’s term will begin on November 2, 2020.

“In a career that has spanned three decades, Ms. Lew has established herself as a thoughtful and innovative investor with an immersive approach that yields impressive results,” Bollinger wrote in an email to the Columbia community. “We could not be more pleased with this outcome.”

Lew joined Carnegie Corporation of New York in 2007, as Director of Investments, in charge of managing the organization’s private equity investments. She went on to become Vice President and Co-Chief Investment Officer before being named Vice President and Chief Investment Officer in 2016. At the Corporation, she was admired for her extensive knowledge of the complexities of today’s global markets and her keen understanding of the impact of technology on institutional investing. She also prioritized working with diverse teams and investment firms and was quick to see the potential of markets in regions like Africa and Latin America.

“It is an honor and a privilege to join the dedicated team at the Columbia Investment Management Company,” said Lew. “Columbia’s commitment to educating tomorrow’s leaders and its forward-thinking research on global issues is unparalleled. I have long admired the leadership and work of the institution, and I am excited to guide the endowment in service to the University’s mission at this pivotal time.”

After receiving her BS from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Lew worked at Chemical Bank, where she was an Account Officer and then Head of the Credit Department. She went on to graduate from Harvard Business School with an MBA. She joined the Ford Foundation in 1994 and worked there for more than a decade, as a Portfolio Strategist and then as Senior Manager of Private Equity.

Lew succeeds Peter Holland, who is retiring after 17 years of service to the Columbia Investment Management Company, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer.