January 29, 2025
GEM Announces Matt Bank as Next Chief Investment Officer
Bank will serve as Co-CIO alongside Mike Smith through 2025 before fully assuming the CIO role next year
CHARLOTTE, NC (January 29, 2025) – GEM, a $12B leading provider of institutional investment solutions for endowments, foundations, sovereigns, families, and other long-term investors, announced today that Matt Bank has been appointed Co-Chief Investment Officer (“Co-CIO”) alongside current CIO Mike Smith, effective as of January 1, 2025.
Bank and Smith will serve as Co-CIOs through 2025, with Bank assuming the CIO role in 2026. At that time, Bank will assume total oversight of policy construction, asset allocation, and portfolio strategy. Smith will continue to support Bank and the firm as GEM’s market strategist, with specific focus on macroeconomic analysis and portfolio tactics. Jay Ripley will also continue in his role as Head of Investments, overseeing the firm’s manager selection process.
Bank’s appointment as Co-CIO represents the next phase of a multi-year succession plan initiated in 2022. He was named Deputy CIO at the start of 2023 and has collaborated closely with Smith since then on portfolio strategy, risk management, and other core responsibilities.
“One of GEM’s foundational beliefs is that proactive succession planning is essential to sustaining excellence, ensuring continuity of process and institutional knowledge, and delivering enduring value to our clients,” said Stephanie Lynch, GEM’s Managing Partner. “Matt’s appointment as Co-CIO reflects years of thoughtful preparation, during which he has consistently demonstrated his strategic vision, deep investment expertise, and unwavering commitment to our clients.”
Bank shared, “I am honored to step into the role of Co-CIO and to have the opportunity to work alongside Mike as we continue to guide GEM’s investment program forward. Together we believe we’ve built a resilient and dynamic investment approach that has helped enable us to deliver tailored solutions that align with our clients’ long-term goals. As our industry continues to evolve and the investment opportunity set becomes more complex, my focus remains on sustaining the investment excellence and partnership principles that define our firm.”
Since joining GEM in 2018, Bank has contributed significantly to the firm's investment program and client engagement model. He has played a key role in defining GEM's approach to investment policy development and portfolio customization, integrating dimensions of risk tailored to clients’ distinct objectives. He also worked extensively with Smith on market risk and exposure management across portfolios and advanced the integration of the firm’s Client Portfolio Management and Investment Research groups into a unified Investment Team.
“Matt is a great partner and has established himself as a thought leader in our industry,” said Smith. “When GEM moved from a single investment pool to customized client portfolios, Matt was the architect of that whole process and approach, allowing me to focus on market strategy and tactics. That’s what this shift represents, and I'm excited for GEM's future under the leadership of Matt and Jay (Ripley).”
About GEM
GEM is a leading provider of institutional investment solutions for endowments, foundations, sovereigns, families, and other long-term investors. Since 2007, GEM has specialized in delivering the highest quality service and support to our clients, enabling them to achieve their long-term investment goals. With a global reach, broad investment capabilities, and an experienced team, GEM strategically tailors solutions to meet the unique needs of each investor we serve. For more information, visit www.geminvestments.com.
Contact
Prosek Partners on behalf of GEM: Pro-gem@prosek.com
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