(March 3, 2014) – The director of real assets at the University of California (UC) investment office has resigned to join the University of Southern California as a managing director, aiCIO has learned.
Brian Johnson’s last day at the Oakland-based UC Regents was February 28.
On April 1, he is scheduled to begin as managing director of the University of Southern California’s (USC) $3.9 billion endowment.
He could not be reached for comment, but did suggest in a 2012 interview with aiCIO that such a move would be possible.
"Eventually, I'll need to probably take a step back and work across asset classes again," he said, mentioning a CIO position as a goal for later in his career. "But it's nice to focus on this asset class for now."
Johnson’s departure comes just five week after the UC Regents announced a new CIO for the $80 billion fund. Jagdeep Bachher, executive vice president of the Alberta Investment Management Company, is set to take the helm in Oakland on April 1.
Like Johnson, Bachher was a member of aiCIO’s Forty Under Forty in 2012.
With the addition of Johnson, USC’s investment staff will number eight professionals: CIO Lisa Mazzocco, present Managing Director Edgar Smith, two investment officers, and four analysts.
Mazzocco, Johnson’s future boss, did not respond to a request for comment.