Mark Walker, Global CIO, UnileverLeading pension think tank the 300 Club has signed up Unilever’s Global CIO
Mark Walker as its newest member.
Walker joined Univest—the Unilever subsidiary responsible for more than 80 of its pension funds globally—in September 2010 after working closely with the group as a Mercer consultant.
“As someone who thrives on new challenges and responsibilities, I am looking forward to this opportunity to work with the 300 Club to confront the industry’s mindset on issues such as sustainability and long-term value creation,” Walker said in a statement.
These issues are “critical to companies’ future successes and to delivering the financial outcomes that the beneficiaries of our pension funds will need,” Walker added. “Working together, there is much we can do to improve the financial decision-making and risk management approaches of the industry.”
Lars Dijkstra, chairman of the 300 Club and CIO at Kempen Capital Management, praised Unilever’s “corporate vision of sustainable growth and intense sense of social purpose,” leading to innovation within their pension funds.
“I, along with the club’s other members, welcome Mark and look forward to working with him to help investors align investment objectives with sustainable development priorities,” Dijkstra said.
Walker becomes the 18th member of the 300 Club, alongside investment leaders from the asset owner, manager, and consultant sectors. Other members include Chris Ailman, CIO at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, TOBAM Founder Yves Choueifaty, and Roger Urwin, global head of investment content at Towers Watson.
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