Jun Yang Appointed Chief Investment Officer

Jun Yang has been appointed chief investment officer. He assumes the role following the departure of Jainen Thayer in August 2018. Yang will begin his appointment Monday, April 22, 2019.

"The committee was attracted to Jun Yang’s long tenure and leadership at the Weizmann Institute of Science which has tested him against different market cycles, drove superior results and honed his knowledge of diverse asset classes,” says Board of Trustees member Amy Chen ’79. “We believe these qualities and values, partnered with an engaged Investment Committee, will serve to increase the legacy of the endowment to help further the mission of Oberlin College.”

Vice President for Finance and Administration Rebecca Vazquez-Skillings looks forward to what Yang will bring to the role. “We are thrilled to welcome Jun to the campus community,” says Vazquez-Skillings. “I am excited by the coupling of his enthusiasm for Oberlin's mission with his strong track record of investment results. He will serve us well."

Yang brings to Oberlin extensive investment experience for the private sector. Most recently, he served as senior investment officer at Weizmann Global Endowment Management Trust, a multibillion dollar endowment in New York City. During his 16-year tenure at the trust, his accomplishments include significantly growing assets and forming the investment office for the Weizmann Institute of Science. Prior to that role, he worked as an investment consultant to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in New York City, where he supported management of a $1.2B global portfolio.

Yang graduated from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China, with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering. He later attended the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, where he earned a master’s degree in business administration. In September, 2006, he became a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charterholder.

"I am incredibly honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead the investment office,” says Yang. “Oberlin College holds a unique place in higher education with its mission, history, and successes. I look forward to joining the Oberlin community and partnering with the investment committee to achieve long-term financial sustainability and growth."