Company Press Release

TIAA-CREF NAMES ROBERT LEARY HEAD OF ASSET MANAGEMENT

Industry veteran joins $520 billion leading financial services firm

  NEW YORK – May 9, 2013 – TIAA-CREF, a leading financial services provider, today announced the appointment of Robert Leary as executive vice president and president of TIAA-CREF Asset Management, effective June 24, 2013. Leary will report to Chief Executive Officer Roger W. Ferguson Jr. and serve on the company’s executive management team. He will be based in the company’s New York headquarters.

  “At TIAA-CREF, we are dedicated to helping our clients achieve lifelong financial well-being. We do this through a disciplined, innovative and forward-looking approach to asset management,” Ferguson said. “Rob’s proven track record successfully working with and leading asset management, retirement and insurance organizations, combined with his global view and focus on risk management, makes him an outstanding addition to our organization. We look forward to his leadership as we work to meet the evolving needs of our individual and institutional clients.”

  Leary, an industry veteran with more than two decades of experience, will oversee all aspects of TIAA-CREF Asset Management. He will drive the group’s strategy across investments, distribution and operations, and help expand the company’s third-party business. Leary brings expertise across a variety of asset classes and a deep understanding of both institutional and individual client needs. He will join TIAA-CREF’s team of experienced senior asset management leaders. 

  “TIAA-CREF has an enviable track record and a long history of putting its clients first,” Leary said. “I’m excited to join this high-caliber team with such a meaningful mission. Together, we’ll build on the organization’s strong investment performance, history of innovation and client focus.”

  Leary most recently served as president and chief operating officer of ING U.S., leading all aspects of ING’s investment management, retirement, insurance and annuity businesses, as well as operations, information technology and marketing. He also has served as chief executive officer of ING Insurance U.S. Leary joined ING in 2007 as chairman and chief executive officer of ING Investment Management, Americas, where he led all aspects of ING’s $230 billion U.S., Latin American and Canadian investment management business across all asset classes. He also served as a director of Pomona Capital, a private equity firm affiliated with ING.

  Previously, Leary was an executive vice president at AIG. In this role, he helped build investment solutions for the institutional investor community. He also was a vice president at J.P. Morgan & Co., where he specialized in fixed income applications. He started his career as an attorney with White & Case.

  Leary currently serves on the board of AmeriCares, a nonprofit global health and disaster relief organization. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Union College and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law.

  Leary resides in Greenwich, Conn., with his family.

  About TIAA-CREF Asset Management

  TIAA-CREF has received several recent industry accolades for its investment performance. Lipper named TIAA-CREF as the 2013 Best Overall Large Fund Company based on three-year risk-adjusted performance.  The company was one of 36 large investment firms eligible for the award. In addition, 97 percent of the company’s mutual funds and annuities have an overall Morningstar rating of three or more stars across all asset classes based on risk-adjusted performance (43 percent three stars, 45 percent four stars and nine percent five stars, as of March 31, 2013).  In addition, TIAA-CREF ranked 10th out of 62 mutual fund families in the 2012 Barron’s/Lipper fund family ranking, based on asset-weighted performance.