From the CIO: Here's Why Supporting Mission-Driven Investors Is Crucial for Me
By Johara Farhadieh
Chief Investment Officer (CIO)
A week ago, I shared my thoughts on how an inclusive approach fosters investment excellence. I highlighted the role that women- and minority-owned managers played in helping my previous employer achieve the best performing private equity portfolio among U.S. public pension funds three years in a row. I hope you found the blog post informative!
I was really happy at my prior job, but when I learned about Wespath, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Wespath’s general secretary and chief executive officer, Andy Hendren, played a key role in my decision to leave a job I loved to join Wespath. Just a few minutes into our initial video call, I told him I felt like I had known him for a long time. While that connection was important, it was Wespath’s mission that truly solidified my decision.
I care deeply about using my investment skills and experience to help others achieve their goals and objectives. It is in part why I’ve devoted most of my career to serving pension funds and non-profit organizations, where the focus is on people, long-term impact, and purpose, rather than the short-term focus on the bottom line often prioritized in for-profit financial institutions. The chief investment officer (CIO) role at Wespath came with a meaningful bonus: I am not only helping support retirement with dignity, but I am also contributing to the important missional work of our institutional investor clients, allowing them to serve even more people.
I’m excited to explain why I care so much about mission-driven organizations and how I can use that passion and my professional experience to help the people and institutional investors we serve.
At my prior employer, the Illinois State Board of Investment (ISBI), I oversaw the investment management of retirement benefits for the state’s public servants. Now, at Wespath, we care for clergy and lay employees who dedicate their lives to serving others. For me, this work feels deeply personal. Raised by my mother, I see her in the people served by both ISBI and Wespath—hard-working individuals who deserve the security of a steady stream of income in retirement, ensuring they are supported with the dignity and care they have earned. It is gratifying to use my experience and acumen to help individuals achieve a fulfilling retirement.
My commitment to assisting others—especially children—extends to my life outside Wespath. I sit on the Board of Trustees and the Finance Committee at La Rabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago. I’m also a member of the Board of Trustees and Chairwoman of the Investment Committee at a Catholic school, The Francis Xavier Warde (FXW) School.
In this video, I share how my professional journey and my experiences with other non-profits can help me connect to Wespath’s investors:
My role on the two non-profit boards also provides me with additional insight into the asset management industry and best practices that support my professional work.
At Wespath, with over $25 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2023, there are significant advantages to being a larger organization, such as the ability to provide access to resources, expertise and economies of scale. At the same time, my work with the non-profit boards gives me a valuable perspective on what many of Wespath’s institutional investors experience. I always want to ensure that, while we leverage the benefits of our size, we remain attentive to the needs of all our clients—regardless of their size.
I want to ensure Wespath is doing everything it can to help good people continue to do good work.
In review: This is the final blog in my introductory series. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read my first two blog posts and watch the accompanying videos: