The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has appointed Brian Tipple as its first Global Head of External Equities.

Tipple joins ADIA from Key Private Bank, where he was Chief Investment Officer, responsible for chairing the Portfolio Strategy Group and serving on the KeyBank Executive Council.

Prior to that he spent nearly 20 years spent with Russell Investments, a Seattle-based global asset manager with more than $250 billion in assets under management.

From 2009 to 2012, he served as CIO – Equities at Russell Investments in London, managing a global team of professionals overseeing more than $100 billion in multi-strategy equity portfolios.

Prior to that, he was the firm’s CIO for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Managing Director of US Equity, and also served as a member of Russell’s Investment Strategy Committee, which governs all of the firm’s
investment decisions worldwide.

In his new role, Tipple will, together with senior management, be responsible for developing, implementing and driving overall investment strategy for the External Equities Department, as well as overseeing the activities of all externally-managed portfolios.

Based in Abu Dhabi, Tipple will manage the Department’s team of investment professionals and will report to Obaid Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of External Equities at ADIA.

Commenting on the appointment, Al Suwaidi, said: “Over more than three decades in the asset management industry, Brian has proven himself as an astute investor and leader with a deep understanding of global equity markets.”

“He will play an important role in managing the Department’s existing investments, while further developing and refining our strategy in the External Equities space,” he added.

Established in 1976, ADIA is a globally diversified investment institution that is wholly owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi.