Home ListingOctober 21, 2013

Ontario Teachers’ CEO Named Chancellor of Queen’s University

Jim Leech will serve a three-year term as the Canadian university’s highest officer following his retirement from the C$129.5 billion fund this December.

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(October 21, 2013) — Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan President and CEO Jim Leech has been appointed chancellor of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Leech announced his retirement from the C$129.5 billion fund in April after serving as its head since 2007. He had joined Ontario Teachers’ 12 years ago to lead its private capital department after working as president and CEO of Unicorp Canada Corporation.

The outgoing CEO will begin his new role on July 1, 2014 for a three-year term.

“Jim Leech is a highly accomplished business leader and an alumnus with a long history of service to the university,” Daniel Woolf, Queen’s principal and vice-chancellor, said in a statement. “Queen’s will benefit immensely from his extensive experience and I personally look forward to working with him over the coming years.”

The chancellor is Queen’s highest officer, but the university stated, a largely ceremonial position. Leech will preside over convocations, confer degrees, and lead annual meetings of the university council. He will also be a voting member of the university’s board of trustees.

“I am honored by this opportunity and look forward to being even more involved in the life of the Queen’s community, which brings extraordinary people together to do extraordinary things,” Leech said.

Leech will be leaving the pension plan in tiptop shape—the fund’s assets under management have almost doubled since his appointment, aided by 10-year returns of 9.6%.

“Returns earned above our benchmark directly support the goal of pension security and demonstrate the value of our approach to active investing,” Leech said. “The investment team successfully navigated significant risks and turmoil in the global economy again in 2012 to earn an excellent rate of return.”

Ron Mock, Ontario Teachers’ current senior-vice president for fixed income and alternatives, has been tapped to succeed Leech as president and CEO on January 1, 2014.