Jagdeep Singh Bachher
Jagdeep Singh Bachher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 12th Chancellor of the University of Waterloo | |
| Assumed office July 1, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Dominic Barton |
| President/Vice Chancellor | Vivek Goel (2021-present) |
| Chief Investment Officer of the University of California | |
| Assumed office April 1, 2014 | |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | University of Waterloo (BASc, MASc, PhD) |
| Occupation | Chairman, university chancellor |
Jagdeep Singh Bachher is the current Chancellor of the University of Waterloo. He is also serving as the Chief Investment Officer and Vice President of Investments at the University of California.[1][2] Prior to his role at the University of California, he served as Executive Vice President of Venture and Innovation, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, and Chief Operating Officer at Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). He has also worked as President of JH Investments (Delaware) and held senior roles at Manulife Financial.[3]
Bachher is a visiting scholar at Stanford University's Global Projects Center and the Chairman Emeritus of the Institutional Investors Roundtable. He is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization and the Institute of Corporate Directors.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Bachher was born in Nigeria to parents of Sikh heritage, both of whom were educators. He attributes his passion for education to his parents, who taught in India, Africa, and Waterloo, for over 60 years. At the age of 15, Bachher and his family moved to Canada, where he enrolled at the University of Waterloo.[2]
Bachher is a triple alumnus of the University of Waterloo. He earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1993, followed by a Master of Applied Science in Management Sciences in 1994, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences in 2000. He has credited the University of Waterloo's pioneering co-op program with playing a transformative role in his life.[2][4]
Career
[edit]Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo)
[edit]Dr. Jagdeep Singh Bachher joined Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) in 2009. He initially served as Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Chief Operating Officer, overseeing various portfolios and operations of AIMCo’s $118 billion in assets, including public sector pension plans, provincial endowments, and government funds.[5] His work as COO included leading AIMCo through periods of organizational change, which involved managing critical systems upgrades. Despite some challenges in management style during this period, his leadership in AIMCo's venture and innovation fund earned him recognition as a forward-thinking investor.[6]
Chief Investment Officer, University of California
[edit]In January 2014, Dr. Bachher was appointed Chief Investment Officer and Vice President of Investments for the University of California (UC), assuming responsibility for managing UC’s investment portfolio, which grew to over $80 billion at the time of his appointment and has since increased to $169 billion.[7][8] He manages the pension, endowment, retirement savings, and working capital investment pools of the UC system, reporting directly to the Board of Regents on investment matters.[9] During his tenure, he implemented strategic changes, including enhancing transparency and responding to stakeholder concerns, particularly around socially responsible investing.[10][11]
Chairman Emeritus and Other Roles
[edit]Bachher also served as Chairman Emeritus of the Institutional Investors Roundtable, a global financial think tank. He has been a visiting scholar at Stanford University’s Global Projects Center, where he contributed to discussions on innovation in institutional investing.[12]
Chancellor of the University of Waterloo
[edit]In 2024, Dr. Bachher was appointed as the 12th Chancellor of the University of Waterloo, succeeding Dominic Barton.[13] As a triple alumnus of the University, Bachher credits Waterloo’s co-op program for significantly shaping his academic and professional career.[14] He has served on the University’s Board of Governors since 2018 and as Vice-Chair since 2020.[15] In his role as Chancellor, he acts as an ambassador for the University and presides over convocation ceremonies, conferring degrees and diplomas to graduates.[16]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Institutional structure | About Waterloo". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ a b c "Waterloo names triple alum Dr. Jagdeep Singh Bachher as chancellor". Waterloo News. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ a b "Jagdeep Bachher". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Q&A: UC regents' chief investment officer Jagdeep Singh Bachher, 'champion for change'". UCLA. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Jagdeep Bachher". uwaterloo. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "AIMCo's Jagdeep Bachher Appointed CIO of the University of California | Chief Investment Officer". www.ai-cio.com. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "UC Investments | UCOP". www.ucop.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "UC Investments Creates Strategic Venture with Blackstone to Invest $4 Billion in BREIT Common Shares". Blackstone. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Jagdeep Bachher". Intentional Endowments Network. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Division Leadership | UCOP". ucop.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Jagdeep Singh Bachher". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Jagdeep Singh Bachher | Secretariat". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Canada Calling: Trudeau govt to welcome 500,000 new immigrants every year despite growing opposition". The Indian Express. 2023-11-05. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Jagdeep Singh Bachher: A Leader in Finance and Academia, and the Next Chancellor of the University of Waterloo - Weekly Voice". weeklyvoice.com. 2023-10-27. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "MSE Alum named Chancellor of University of Waterloo | Management Science and Engineering". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Triple alum named as Waterloo chancellor | Engineering". uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 2024-09-09.