In December 2020, Julie Cays was named CIO of the Year by the Canadian Investment Review.
The award is presented to a leader in pension investing who has
demonstrated significant improvements to her organization’s investment
processes. This award takes a comprehensive view of success and
considers environmental, social and governance factors to determine the
deserving award recipient
“I am immensely proud of Julie. This is a recognition that is well
deserved. She is an exceptional CIO and leader, a valued colleague, and
a friend. I couldn’t be more delighted for Julie,” says Derek W.
Dobson, CEO of the CAAT Plan.
Julie Cays joined CAAT in 2006 and has led the CAAT fund
in transitioning from a traditional asset mix with $5.3 billion of
assets under management to a highly diversified portfolio with more than $13.5
billion under management, including alternative assets. The CAAT plan’s
investment performance has seen a 10-year annualized rate of return of
10 per cent. Julie
also oversaw the implementation of CAAT’s private market fund and
co-investment programs in private equity, infrastructure, and real
estate. Further, in December 2019, her team allocated an approximately
$1 billion in pension asset transfers following the pension mergers with
Torstar Corporation and the Canadian Press.
As
CIO at CAAT, Julie has been an integral part of shaping and delivering
all aspects of the organization’s strategic plan. She has also been
active in industry
associations, assuming leadership roles with the Canadian Coalition for
Good Governance (CCGG) and Pension Investment Association of Canada
(PIAC).