Frederic P. Lebel, CFA, Elected Chair of CFA Institute Board of Governors

Frederic P. Lebel, CFA, has been elected the new chair of the Board of Governors of CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that promotes the highest standards of ethics, education and professional excellence. Effective Sept. 1, Lebel succeeds Beth Hamilton-Keen, CFA, who will continue to serve on the Board as immediate past chair. The new lineup of the Board, the highest governing authority of CFA Institute, was elected by the membership at the CFA Institute 69th Annual Conference, held in Montreal earlier this month. 

“We are working to ensure everything we do at CFA Institute is aimed toward adding value for members and making a positive impact on the investment profession we serve,” said Paul Smith president and CEO. “With Fred as our newly appointed Chair, I am confident that CFA Institute will continue to be a driving force for positive change in the industry and will continue to make strides toward achieving our mission to lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.”

Lebel is co-CEO and CIO of OFI MGA and owner of HFS Hedge Fund Selection S.A., based in Geneva, a role he has held since 2008. Prior to this, he was an executive vice president at Lombard Odier & Cie in Geneva in charge of hedge fund investments since 1997. Lebel was founding co-chair and then chair of the European Advocacy Committee in 2000, and the founding chair and a member of the Capital Market Policy Council of the CFA Institute Centre for Financial Market Integrity (now known as the Standards and Advocacy division). He is a past recipient of the Leadership in Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Award, in honor of Daniel J. Forrestal III, in recognition of championing the pursuit of excellence in professional ethics and standards of practice. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in finance and accounting from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

“I am deeply honored to be elected Chair of the CFA Institute Board of Governors,” said Lebel. “As leaders of the investment management profession, we will amplify our efforts so that clients continue to grant us their trust. Demonstrating character, applying skills and living by our commitments on a daily basis will help clients identify why and to whom their trust should go. As an organization, we will pay even more attention to creating value for our members, through CFA Institute as well as our network of local societies. We are dedicated to strengthening the relevance of CFA Institute to its members, the profession and society, and I look forward to contributing to this inspiring undertaking.”

In addition to Lebel’s appointment, CFA Institute elected Colin McLean, FSIP, as vice chair of the Board. McLean, FSIP, is CEO of SVM Asset Management Ltd., an independent fund management group based in Edinburgh, UK, which he founded in 1990. Prior to this, McLean was managing director of Templeton’s European operations and previously held senior positions in two UK life assurers.

He is a member of CFA Institute and a Fellow of the CFA Society of the UK, of which he is past chairman and board member. McLean is currently an honorary professor at Heriot-Watt University and previously was a visiting professor at Glasgow Caledonian University. 

He holds an MA (Hons) in Political Economy & Economic Statistics and an MBA (Distinction) from Glasgow University.

The CFA Institute Board of Governors is comprised of a diverse group of 18 members who reside in the following 9 countries: Australia, Canada, China, India, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States. Each governor is elected by the CFA Institute membership for a three-year term that runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. The full slate of board members (including the year their term ends) is:

• Frederic P. Lebel, CFA, (Switzerland), OFI MGA and HFS Hedge Fund Selection S.A. (2018)
• Colin McLean, FSIP, (United Kingdom), SVM Asset Management Ltd. (2019)
• Heather Brilliant, CFA, (Australia), Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd. (2019)
• Elizabeth Corley*, CBE, (United Kingdom), Allianz Global Investors (2019)
• Daniel Gamba, CFA, (United States), BlackRock, Inc. (2018)
• Robert Jenkins, FSIP, (United Kingdom), London Business School (2019)
• Beth Hamilton-Keen, CFA, (Canada), Mawer Investment Management Ltd. (2017)
• Attila Koksal, CFA, (Turkey), Unlu Securities (2017)
• Mark Lazberger, CFA, (Australia), Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFSGAM) (2018)
• Diane C. Nordin*, CFA, (United States), Wellington Management Co Llp. (retired) (2019)
• Scott Proctor, CFA, (United States) (2017)
• Sunil Singhania, CFA, (India), Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management Ltd. (2019)
• Paul Smith, CFA, (Hong Kong), CFA Institute 
• George Spentzos, CFA, FSIP, (United Kingdom), LNG Capital (2018)
• Lynn Stout (United States), Cornell Law School (2017)
• Zouheir Tamim El Jarkass, CFA, (United Arab Emirates), Mubadala (2018)
• Michael G. Trotsky, CFA, (United States), Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management (“PRIM”) Board (2017)
• Yu Hua, CFA, (China), Morgan Stanley Huaxin Fund Management Company Ltd. (2017)

*New incoming governors for the fiscal year commencing Sept. 1, 2016