Deborah Orida will become president and chief executive officer of Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) on Sept. 1.
Orida joins from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), where she led the global real assets department that oversees infrastructure, sustainable energies, real estate, sustainable investing and portfolio value creation.
She joined CPP Investments in 2009 in Toronto and has held senior leadership roles, including head of Private Equity Asia, which she led after establishing the Relationship Investments Asia portfolio from Hong Kong. Prior to joining CPP Investments, she spent nine years at Goldman Sachs in New York and Toronto. Previously, Deborah was a securities lawyer at Blake, Cassels & Graydon in Toronto.
Martin Glynn, chair of the board at PSP Investments, said in a statement, “In making is decision, the Board unanimously agrees that Ms. Orida is ideally qualified to lead PSP Investments forward into its next phase of growth and strategic evolution.”
Orida succeeds Neil Cunningham, who, effective Sept. 1, becomes vice chair and special advisor to the president and CEO, and will support the transition process until his retirement, effective March 31, 2023.
PSP Investments posted a 10.9% return in fiscal year 2022 as assets under management grew by 12.7% to $230.5 billion. Earlier this year, the pension investment manager also launched its inaugural climate strategy with targets to guide climate action and emissions reductions.
“I look forward to working with PSP Investments’ exceptional management team to continue to respond to market opportunities and generate solid returns for contributors and beneficiaries over the long-term horizon,” said Orida in a statement. “On a personal note, my family and I are excited to be moving to Montréal shortly and immerse ourselves in the city’s culture and community.”
