OCIO firm Verger Capital Management promoted Craig Thomas from co-chief investment officer to CIO as previous CIO Jim Dunn remains on board as chief executive officer.
Thomas outlined his role as co-CIO back in January as part of our CIO Talks series. Since the firm’s inception in 2014, he has worked closely with Dunn, who he also with at Wake Forest University prior to co-founding Verger.
He began his career at Wake Forest before Dunn was hired as CIO in 2009. Thomas describes a cultural shift that took place when Dunn joined. It was a less hierarchical organization, and the investment philosophy was focused on risk as well as return. Thomas said the team worked diligently to construct a portfolio that would participate on the upside while protecting on the downside at Wake Forest and then carried that forward with Verger that still counts the university endowment as one of its clients.
“Our decision to appoint Craig as our chief investment officer is a testament to his exceptional talent, strong leadership abilities, and unwavering commitment to our clients,” said Jim. “Throughout his tenure, Craig has been instrumental in establishing our firm as a trusted partner in the OCIO space, and we are confident that his elevated role will further enhance our capabilities and drive continued success.”
Dunn plans to spend more time focused on strategic vision and long-term growth at the $2.5 billion firm that offers its clients a globally diversified portfolio that includes a large allocation to non-traditional investments such as hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, and real assets.
As Co-CIO, Thomas has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering the firm’s philosophy of “Protect, Perform, Provide” through his deep industry knowledge, strategic insight, and a passion for enabling non-profit organizations to meet their goals in perpetuity, officials said.
“I am honored to assume the role of Chief Investment Officer at Verger, building on the strong foundation we have created,” said Thomas. “I am excited to lead our exceptional investment team and uphold our firm’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and delivering strong results for our clients. Together, we will continue to navigate the dynamic investment landscape and seize opportunities that create long-term value.”
