HarbourVest Partners, a global private markets asset manager, has appointed Bill Royer as a managing director and will become Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) in early June.
Based in Boston, Royer will lead the continued evolution of the Firm’s global regulatory compliance program and serve as an adviser to the Portfolio Construction Committee and the Conflicts Committee.
“As HarbourVest has grown in size and expanded into new asset classes over the last few years, we continue to place great value on staying abreast of regulatory changes in the global private markets,” says John Toomey, Managing Director, HarbourVest Partners. “We have continued to add to our already robust Legal and Compliance team and control environment during this time and are pleased to bring Bill’s considerable expertise to this team.”
Royer has nearly 30 years of experience in senior roles focused on compliance and law at both private companies and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with broad and deep knowledge across asset classes. Prior to joining HarbourVest, he was CCO at Vanguard Global Advisors, leading a team responsible for global compliance of investment activities (equity, fixed income and derivatives) for all US organised or domiciled funds and accounts, totalling nearly USD4.5 trillion in assets across a wide variety of funds, partnerships and accounts. Previously, Royer was Associate Regional Director for the US SEC’s Atlanta office. Prior to his role in the SEC’s Atlanta office, he was Assistant Director, Office of Chief Counsel for the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE). His other experience includes senior roles in legal and compliance with other financial firms including Arrowstreet Capital, Foreside Financial Services and Baring Asset Management; as well as ten years as General Counsel for Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo and Co.
Royer received a BS in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire and a JD from the Boston University School of Law.
