New CIO looks to bring experience, innovation to BU

Boston University President Robert Brown announced that Clarissa Hunnewell, former managing director for consulting firm Cambridge Associates, has been selected as BU’s next chief investment officer, according to a March 7 press release.

Hunnewell, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 1983 and her MBA from Harvard Business School in 1987, will oversee BU’s endowment, which exceeds $1 billion.

Hunnewell said that she is excited to join the BU community and looks forward to helping the university achieve its financial goals.

“As the global economy improves, there’s still plenty of uncertainty and the challenge is to keep the balance that have been built into the portfolio, to deal with the uncertainties, robust and fresh,” Hunnewell said.

Brown said that he is looking forward to what Hunnewell will bring to BU administration.

“[Hunnewell] will bring a level of experience to Boston University that will lead both the continued growth of our endowment and the role of the Investment Office in stewarding our financial assets,” Brown said.

In 1991, Hunnewell began working at Cambridge Associates, a private, independent consulting firm that aims to offer unbiased advice to global institutional investors and private clients.

Hunnewell’s clients have included a $650 million educational institution, pension funds, and other educational groups, according to the press release. Her clients at Cambridge Associates held up to $2 billion in assets and earned returns that ranged from 11 to 15 percent last fiscal year.

Hunnewell will succeed CIO Pamela Peedin, who has decided to leave BU to work at Dartmouth College, her alma mater. Peedin’s work helped BU obtain a 12.7 percent return last fiscal year.

“We will miss her leadership, both of our investment office and as a member and senior leadership of the University,” Brown said.