Ken Lee, an experienced investment manager and esteemed figure in the financial industry, will commence his role at Caltech as the Institute’s new chief investment officer (CIO) on April 15, 2025.
As part of the Institute’s senior leadership team, Lee will direct the Institute’s investment approaches while overseeing its roughly $4.5 billion investment portfolio. He will collaborate closely with the Investment Committee of the Caltech Board of Trustees to establish and execute policies aimed at securing Caltech’s long-term financial well-being.
“Ken’s extensive experience in the financial arena, proven success as an investment manager, dedication to university values, and understanding of what makes Caltech unique, positions him as an excellent choice,” stated Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum, the Sonja and Davidow Presidential Chair and a professor of physics, in an email announcement to the campus community. “We eagerly anticipate having Ken take on a leadership position at the Institute.”
Lee brings over 25 years of expertise in the financial realm to Caltech. Most recently, he served at Children’s Health System of Texas, a private academic hospital, where he headed an independent office responsible for managing a $3 billion portfolio of donor-endowed resources, board-designated reserves, and corporate funds for the largest nonprofit pediatric health care provider in North Texas. He adeptly executed a multiyear strategic initiative to revamp the hospital’s $2 billion endowment fund amidst fluctuating market conditions.
“The Board of Trustees is excited to welcome Ken to Caltech,” remarked Caltech Trustee Tim Sloan, who is the chair of the Board’s Investment Committee and co-chaired the CIO search committee that included members from Caltech’s faculty, administrative staff, and Board. “Ken offers an outstanding blend of investment expertise, creativity, and leadership for the position, and we anticipate collaborating with him to maintain top quartile long-term gains for the Institute’s investment portfolio.”
Before his tenure at Children’s Health System, Lee was the managing director at Carnegie Corporation of New York, one of the nation’s most established grantmaking foundations, where he and his team managed a $3.5 billion endowment. He also led the New York branch of the investment research group at Fauchier Partners and held roles at Horsley Bridge Partners and Robertson Stephens.
Lee graduated from Yale College with a double degree in Economics and East Asian Studies. He obtained his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
“Caltech represents a cornerstone of creativity and innovation,” Lee states. “I am honored to contribute to its rich legacy of focused excellence, collaborating with Dr. Rosenbaum and other skilled senior leaders. Being a native Californian, I am also excited about reuniting several generations of my family.”