Howard Hughes Medical Institute PE Chief to Depart

Mark Barnard will leave the $18 billion endowment in June after a 20-year tenure.

Mark BarnardMark Barnard, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteThe Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) health care and endowment fund has lost its private investments chief.

Mark Barnard will step down as managing director of private investments for the $18.2 billion fund effective June 2016, the institute announced. He will stay on as a part-time advisor to the endowment through the end of November.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to have worked with HHMI all of these years and been part of an investment team and created investment returns in support of the institute’s incredible mission of scientific research and education,” Barnard said in a statement.

Upon retiring from the Chevy Chase, Maryland-based fund, he said he will open “a new chapter in my personal and professional life.”

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Barnard has spent more than 20 years managing the medical research institute’s private investments portfolio consisting of global private equity, venture capital, real assets, and natural resources.

As managing director, he led a team of three directors and served as a member of the institute’s senior management team.

Previously, Barnard worked as an associate director at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology treasurer’s office for 10 years. There, he was responsible for managing real estate investments, according to his LinkedIn.

HHMI has named Greg DeNinno, current director of private investments, as Barnard’s successor. DeNinno has been with the institute since 2008 and focused on European private equity, venture, and small-cap buyouts.

The medical institute is also seeking an “experienced director” to add to the private investments team.

HHMI is led by “industry veteran”—and 2015 Power 100 member—Landis Zimmerman who previously headed up the University of Pennsylvania endowment.

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HP CIO Gretchen Tai Steps Down

She departs after six years leading HP’s retirement funds, CIO has learned.

 GretchenTai_ChrisBuzelliGretchen Tai (Art by Chris Buzelli)Computer giant Hewlett-Packard has lost its CIO Gretchen Tai, the outgoing executive confirmed. 

She joined the company in 2003, working in corporate development for four years, before moving to the investment office 2007.    

“I’ve been at HP for 13 years and it’s been an interesting adventure,” she said when asked for comment. “The HP plan is in a healthy place now thanks to the freedom we were given to innovate.” 

That innovation began in force under her predecessor Ken Frier, who led the $30 billion-plus retirement funds from 2007 to 2010. Frier and Tai continue to collaborate closely, teaming up recently on a paper focused on “Improving the ‘Endowment Model’ Recipe.”  

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HP spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment or confirmation by time of press. 

Tai’s former deputy Canyon Chan has taken over the CIO job as of this month, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Chan joined HP in September 2014, after a long career with Franklin Templeton. 

Tai has no immediate plans for her next role, she said. 

“I will miss my wonderful team at HP, but I am also looking forward to taking the summer off to rejuvenate.” 

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