Alternative Investments Forum (AIF) has appointed veteran institutional investor Melissa Waller as president of its newly formed AIF Institute.
The AIF Institute is the branch of AIF dedicated to educating institutional asset owners about the use of alternative investments such as private equity, private credit, hedge funds, real estate and real assets to achieve their portfolio objectives.
Waller (pictured) joins AIF following her service as deputy treasurer and chief of staff for the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer, where she oversaw strategic planning, operations, policy implementation and a staff of more than 400 employees. The North Carolina Retirement Systems, the pension fund for the state of North Carolina, is the 10th largest public pension fund in the US with assets in excess of USD90 billion.
"I have had the honour of working with Melissa on the successful reimagining and re-launching of the National Institute of Public Finance, as well as the creation of the nation's first Certificate in Public Treasury Management programme, in collaboration with Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management," says AIF founder and CEO Brant Maller. "Melissa is that rare combination of attributes in a manager: thoughtful, gracious, and impactful. We are thrilled to have her serving as a global ambassador for the AIF Institute to further its mission of bringing the best investment ideas, practices, and information to institutional investors throughout the world."
Waller brings over 20 years of private and public sector financial industry experience to her new role, including 15 years in the banking sector with Wachovia/Wells Fargo. She serves as executive programme director for the National Institute of Public Finance, a member of the board of directors for the Council of Institutional Investors, and has served as delegate vice-chair for the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) Foundation.
"I'm delighted to join AIF in this new role," says Waller. "I have worked extensively with the AIF community and Brant for many years and have always admired AIF's mission of developing partnerships and promoting dialogue within the investment management community.
"There is such a great need for investor education throughout the world, particularly among public investors who can often be understaffed, underpaid, and geographically isolated from the flow of information. I look forward to leading the global expansion of AIF's investor education initiatives and bringing this valuable learning to investors."
