Bridgewater Associates has named Karen Karniol-Tambour as co-chief investment officer.
Karniol-Tambour, who has spent 16 years at the hedge fund giant, joins co-CIO Bob Prince and Greg Jensen as a full partner in leading its investment committee and holding responsibility for the firm’s investment strategy and outcomes.
She was previously co-CIO for sustainability within the firm along with Carsten Stendevad, launching its first portfolio incorporating sustainability considerations alongside risk and return, a role she had held since 2021.
Karniol-Tambour oversees the systemization of Bridgewater’s research into trading strategies, manages the development of proprietary investment management models, directs the design and implementation of client investment strategies, and publishes market understanding to clients and global policy makers through its Daily Observations.
She joined Bridgewater in 2006 as an investment associate within its fixed income team after graduating from Princeton University. She later became head of investment research in 2013, developing new areas of focus in Bridgewater’s systemized investments, and evolving its portfolio construction. She has also held key leadership roles on its investment and commercial committees.
Nir Bar Dea, Bridgewater’s co-CEO, said Karniol-Tambour has become “a trusted advisor to our clients, a role model for our best rising talent, and one of our most important leaders at the forefront of a new generation.”
Jensen, co-CIO, said: “I’ve known Karen since I recruited her to Bridgewater as a college senior, and for all that time, I’ve admired how she lives our values — in particular her courage, her deep care for others, and her creativity and tenacity in the face of our most important challenges and opportunities.”
The appointment comes after Bridgewater’s chief investment strategist Rebecca Patterson left the firm in December after three years in the role.
Founded by Ray Dalio in 1975, Bridgewater made $6.2 billion for investors last year, and has generated $58.4 billion since inception, according to recent LCH Investments research. It remains the world’s largest hedge fund firm, with about $81 billion in assets under management, LCH data showed.
