Sara Rejal has been promoted to a newly created role of Head of Liquid Alternatives, in the investment consultancy and advisory business of Willis Towers Watson, a role that will see her take on reinsurance and insurance-linked securities (ILS) investment consultancy responsibility.
Willis Towers Watson recently lost Damien Lovejoy, a well-known industry figure who headed up all diversifying strategies in the investment consultancy. His role has been replaced with two appointments, Rejal to lead Liquid Alternatives, including the reinsurance linked asset class and Karen Dolenc who will lead Real Assets.
Rejal has been with Willis Towers Watson since 2014 as a Senior Investment Consultant. The new role will see her overseeing liquid alternatives ranging from hedge funds, to alternative beta, to reinsurance (so ILS) and other multi-asset strategies.
Luba Nikulina, Global Head of Manager Research at Willis Towers Watson, commented on the news; “I am delighted to announce the promotions of Sara and Karen to, respectively, Head of Liquid Alternatives and Head of Real Assets. We are fortunate to have such high-calibre industry talent available to us within Willis Towers Watson.
“The new leadership structure of our Diversifying Strategies function will enable us to better align research and portfolio construction, with an even more positive influence on improving client outcomes. We aim to achieve this through the continued development of differentiated solutions, spanning a variety of return drivers and bringing more diversity into client portfolios in the environment of low asset returns and general macroeconomic uncertainty.”
With institutional investors around the world becoming increasingly aware of the need to leverage diversifying asset classes, particularly while yields generally remain low, assets such as ILS, catastrophe bonds and reinsurance continue to grow in popularity.
Rejal’s new role will see her seek to achieve continued “integration of the research team to ensure more fluidity across the spectrum of liquid alternatives.”
The large investment consultants and advisories, like the division of Willis Towers Watson, hold significant sway with their clients such as pension funds, in highlighting managers they recommend within an asset class.
View all of our Artemis Live video interviews and subscribe to our podcast.
All of our Artemis Live insurance-linked securities (ILS), catastrophe bonds and reinsurance video content and video interviews can be accessed online.
Our Artemis Live podcast can be subscribed to using the typical podcast services providers, including Apple, Google, Spotify and more.
