Vanguard names former BlackRock exec as new CEO

Vanguard names former BlackRock exec as new CEO
The firm has announced the successor to Tim Buckley.
MAY 15, 2024

Vanguard will have a new chief executive officer this summer with the firm naming the successor to Tim Buckley.

In February it was announced that Buckley would retire from the firm after 33 years including more than six years as its CEO and chairman, triggering an extensive search for a new leader for the firm as it approaches its 50th anniversary.

Leading the firm into its next phase will be Salim Ramji who will join the board and become CEO on July 8, 2024.

Ramji was a senior leader at BlackRock until January this year. He was with the firm for a decade and was most recently global head of iShares & Index Investing. Previously he was global head of Corporate Strategy and his 25-year industry career also included senior partner at McKinsey & Company in charge of the firm’s Asset & Wealth Management Practice.

He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and politics from University of Toronto, an MA degree in law from Cambridge University, and is a CFA charterholder.

The leader-in-waiting says he’s long admired Vanguard and that it’s an honor to join the firm at an exciting time for the industry.  

“The current investor landscape is changing, and that presents opportunities for Vanguard to further its mission of giving people the best chance for investment success, which is more relevant today than at any time in the firm’s five-decade history. My focus will be to mobilize Vanguard to meet the moment while staying true to that core purpose – remaining the trusted firm that takes a stand for all investors,” he said.

RIGHT CHOICE

The man Ramji will succeed says he is the right choice for the role.

“I have worked with Salim on the executive committee of the Investment Company Institute. He cares about advancing the interests of individual investors, has a strong fiduciary ethos, and thinks strategically about solutions. Salim understands our organization’s deep sense of purpose and commitment to put clients first, which is a hallmark of Vanguard’s leadership team and culture,” Buckley said.

Greg Davis, president and chief investment officer, will be appointed to Vanguard’s board and have expanded responsibility for regulatory and government affairs, while Mark Loughridge, lead independent director, will be appointed nonexecutive chairman.

“We have significant opportunities for growth ahead, including how technology and the client experience can drive solutions and extend the benefits of wealth management to more investors,” Loughridge said. “Salim is an exceptional leader who is aligned with Vanguard’s mission-driven culture, making him the ideal candidate. Vanguard has an important future, and we believe he is the best person for the job.”

There’s also a new appointment to the board as Coca Cola Company’s CFO John Murphy adds some sparkle from June 1, 2024. He’s a Coca Cola veteran with 35 years at the firm and four decades of business, financial, and operational leadership experience.

Latest News

Advisor moves: RBC lands $1B UBS team in Pittsburgh
Advisor moves: RBC lands $1B UBS team in Pittsburgh

Elsewhere, Wells Fargo Advisors adds a $400 million Morgan Stanley veteran in Naples as an ex-Cetera advisor goes independent with LPL

GWG’s Heppner hires Puff Daddy’s attorneys as criminal sentencing looms
GWG’s Heppner hires Puff Daddy’s attorneys as criminal sentencing looms

According to a federal charges Bradley Heppner, 60, received more than $150 million in payments through funneling money from GWG Holdings to a shell company.

Investors accuse Broadstreet fund of alleged billion-dollar 'Ponzi-like' scheme
Investors accuse Broadstreet fund of alleged billion-dollar 'Ponzi-like' scheme

A $1B fund allegedly skimmed 30% off the top, then swapped cash for locked-up stock.

Lawsuit alleges Skechers founders manipulated $9.4B buyout to shortchange investors
Lawsuit alleges Skechers founders manipulated $9.4B buyout to shortchange investors

Insiders allegedly rewrote projections three times in four days.

Fintech bytes: FINNY signs Visionary Square for pay-as-you-go AI prospecting program
Fintech bytes: FINNY signs Visionary Square for pay-as-you-go AI prospecting program

TCI Wealth Advisors also has also tapped JIFFYAI to unify onboarding and servicing, while TradePMR adds ICE market data to its Fusion advisor platform

SPONSORED Built on insurance experience to deliver on long-term promises

Knighthead Life entered the market with a competitive MYGA. A strong launch earned advisor confidence and paved the way for FIAs.

SPONSORED In the Age of AI, Trust Becomes the Advisor's Greatest Asset

As AI makes financial information more accessible than ever, Lana Hock explains why human judgment, trust, and empathy remain the qualities clients value most in a financial advisor