Institutional Investor is featuring the members of our exclusive Institute of influential CMOs from global asset management firms. This elite group of CMOs and Heads of Marketing plays a pivotal role in shaping and protecting the industry’s most valuable brands and corporate identities. They are visionary leaders, setting themselves apart and positioning their organizations for success.
Today, marketing leaders face the challenge of ensuring their strategies are agile and responsive, capable of reacting appropriately to real-time market dynamics, and robust enough to navigate the complex technological landscape influencing consumer behavior and market trends. In an era where every dollar invested must deliver a quantifiable ROI, the pressure to perform is higher than ever.
Institutional Investor’s Chief Marketing Institute brings together this elite group of sector CMOs, showcasing their innovative work and highlighting those who have set new standards of excellence which reflect the evolving dynamics of the financial sector and the broader market landscape. This acknowledgment is a testament to their strategic acumen and the profound impact they have on their organizations and the field of marketing within the financial world.
Members of our Exclusive Institute
*Presented in an alphabetical order by fund name
Ted has been with Acadian since 2003 and is currently Chief Marketing Officer overseeing global distribution and client service efforts. Ted most recently served as Director of the Americas Client Group. He joined the Executive Committee in 2014. Prior to joining Acadian, Ted worked as an investment banking analyst at Deutsche Bank, in corporate finance at General Electric, and as a senior investment associate at Bridgewater Associates. Ted earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School (with Distinction) and a B.A. from Middlebury College (Phi Beta Kappa).
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
Stacey (Viola) Summers is SVP and Director of Corporate Communications at Acadian Asset Management. She has been in the investment management industry for nearly 25 years, spending most of her career at Acadian where she has held senior roles in client communications, investment writing, content strategy, and digital marketing. Stacey oversees Acadian’s corporate website, PR effort, and social media strategy, with a focus on alignment and integration across channels to amplify Acadian’s brand, thought leadership, and corporate responsibility framework. She is also responsible for the firm’s internal and top-down communication program. Stacey is a graduate of Colgate University.
Kitson Vaz – Vice President, Investor Relations Kitson Vaz has 12 years of industry experience and is a Vice President, Investor Relations for the Public Securities Group (PSG). She is responsible for managing and implementing PSG’s marketing and strategic communications, in addition to overseeing the firm’s digital initiatives. Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Kitson was a Vice President at PPM America where she managed the firm’s marketing and communications efforts across all strategies. Prior to that, she held roles at J.P. Morgan. Kitson holds the Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. Kitson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Strategic Communications at Elon University.
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
Vicki Lester is head of Intermediary and Institutional Marketing for Columbia Threadneedle Investments, with responsibility for developing and implementing a marketing strategy that positions the firm to serve it's clients and achieve its goals. In this role she leads a team that delivers a consistent brand and client experience, develops and executes channel marketing campaigns, and supports value-add programs. Prior to this role, she headed the project management office and drove cross-company strategic efforts. Vicki joined one of the Columbia Threadneedle Investments legacy firms in 2006. Previously, Vicki was with Moody’s Investors Service in London where she ran the European asset-backed commercial paper desk and was a member of the structured finance ratings committee. Before Moody’s, she was a vice president and relationship manager with Capital Markets Assurance Corporation (“CapMAC”), a financial guarantee insurer based in New York, and a director with their affiliate, ASIA Ltd, in Singapore. She started her career at Citicorp in New York. Vicki received a B. S. from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
Dorothy Friedrich is responsible for managing marketing and communication initiatives at Jensen Investment Management in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Prior to joining Jensen, she served as the Director of Sales and Marketing at Rocaton Investment Advisors, a leading institutional investment consulting firm. Before her time at Rocaton, Friedrich worked at AXA Investment Managers where she served as head of the Americas RFP team, and at the Carlyle Group where she supported the sales and marketing efforts of their commodities platform, Vermillion Asset Management. Friedrich's career in the financial industry has been marked by her success in leading marketing and communication teams, as well as her ability to collaborate effectively with investment professionals. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Union College.
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
Shephali Sardinha joined Loomis Sayles in 2010 as a strategic marketing analyst. Previously, she was a vice president in the global relations management group at Wellington Management, where she was responsible for product management, competitive analysis and client investment solutions. Prior to Wellington, she worked at John Hancock and Fidelity Investments. Shephali earned a BA from Bentley University and an MBA from Boston University.
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
Laura Manley is the chief marketing officer for MetLife Investment Management (MIM). In this role, she is responsible for building greater awareness and familiarity of MIM’s capabilities and expertise across asset owners and consultants. She has accountability for brand management, thought leadership, digital marketing and marketing sponsorships. Laura joined MIM in October 2019. Prior to joining MIM she was CMO – Americas for BNP Paribas Asset Management. She also held the roles of global head of institutional marketing and regional head of marketing for North America at BNP Paribas Asset Management. Before those roles, she was the head of U.S. business strategy for ABN AMRO Asset Management responsible for acquisitions and divestitures as well as strategic planning and product development. Laura holds a BS from Georgetown University and an MBA from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
As the head of marketing and communications at Sands Capital, Matt serves on the client relations leadership team and oversees functions including portfolio specialists, editorial/thought leadership, integrated marketing, and marketing technology/operations and reporting. He is responsible for driving scale and efficiency across these functions by sponsoring business transformation initiatives that leverage technology and data to enhance client experiences. Matt’s contributions to shaping Sands Capital’s client-centric approach include building the foundation for the firm’s stewardship program. With over 25 years of marketing and product management experience in the investment industry, Matt’s expertise spans retail and institutional markets, covering intermediary and direct distribution models. His experience includes strategic planning, market research, brand strategy, product development, channel marketing, advertising and sponsorships, and digital marketing. Before joining Sands Capital in 2016, Matt held marketing leadership roles at T. Rowe Price and Calvert Investments and began his career in product management at BayBank Boston. Passionate about education, Matt actively mentors career professionals and college students. He served on the board of governors of the Mutual Fund Education Alliance (now IMEA) and on the research committees of the U.S. Social Investment Forum (USSIF) and Insured Retirement Institute. He is a trustee of the Severn School and previously served as trustee and board chair of the Indian Creek School, both in the Annapolis, Maryland, area. Matt earned a bachelor of science degree in marketing and international business from Babson College.
Member of Chief Marketer Institute
