Mercer appointed Jennifer Kruse as U.S. Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) leader earlier this month.
Reporting to U.S. Investments and Retirement Leader Marc Cordover, Kruse will oversee Mercer’s OCIO business and team in the U.S. and will be responsible for implementing strategic initiatives, driving business development and managing and expanding client relationships.
“Jen’s journey from being an investment consultant, to running client services for our OCIO business, to now leading our OCIO business puts us, and more importantly, our clients in a great position to implement innovative thinking in the most effective manner while seeking to meet their performance objectives and expectations,” said Cordover. “Jen brings a mindset of continuous improvement, which will position us to continue to innovate and lead the market in this space.”
Previously, Kruse was head of clients for U.S. Investment Solutions. Before joining Mercer in 2021, Kruse served as an investment consultant director at Willis Towers Watson, where she worked since 2007.
Within the U.S. Wealth business at Mercer, the firm has been providing OCIO solutions domestically since 2005. The unit now has $354 billion in assets under management.
“I am thrilled to be stepping into this role during an exciting time for our business,” said Kruse. “The OCIO team has strong talent with a track record of delivering value for our broad client base, particularly during the volatile markets of the last few years. I am delighted to be part of the future growth building off this incredible foundation.”