Robeco, a Dutch asset manager based in Rotterdam, has created a new corporate governance structure that it says reflects current global industry and market trends.
Robeco, which describes itself as a “pure play asset manager” and has €262 billion of assets under management, is creating a financial holding company, called Robeco Group, and Robeco Institutional Asset Management BV, for asset management.
The latter arm, which is marketed as Robeco, will have its own supervisory board and executive management to “emphasise its position as an autonomous global asset manager”.
The other arm, Robeco Group, will cease to be an operating company and not carry out any asset management services.
Robeco has a number of asset management subsidiaries, namely Boston Partners, Harbor Capital Advisors, Transtrend, RobecoSAM and Robeco.
Jeroen Kremers will be chairman of the supervisory board. Jan Nooitgedagt and Gihan Ismail are other members and more people will be added.
Day-to-day management remains with Leni Boeren, Roland Toppen, Peter Ferket, Ingo Ahrens and Karin van Baardwijk, who form the executive committee of Robeco.
Boeren, who has been with Robeco for almost 12 years, will lead the transition to the new structure and remain a member of the team until the transition is completed, when she will leave.
Makoto Inoue, president and chief executive officer of Orix Corporation, a Japanese firm that bought 90% of Robeco in 2013 from Rabobank, said Boeren has successfully led many transitions within the group over the years.
He added that the new structure will allow for “talent to flourish”.
©2016 funds europe
