Makena Capital hires University of Virginia’s Lawrence Kochard as CIO

Global asset management firm Makena Capital Management has named Lawrence Kochard as its chief investment officer. Kochard is currently CIO and CEO for the University of Virginia’s $8.6 billion endowment, but it was announced in September that he would be stepping down at the end of the year to pursue other opportunities. Kochard reportedly will join Makena in January.

Kochard has filled his current role at the University of Virginia’s endowment fund for nearly seven years. Previously, he was the CIO at Georgetown University, and prior to that, he worked at the Virginia Retirement System.

Makena, based in Menlo Park, Calif., currently manages $19 billion of assets on behalf of its institutional and high-net-worth clients.