Sharmila Chatterjee Kassam

Shar Kassam is a proven business professional, institutional investor and founder of an investment firm investing in private markets for family offices leveraging her experience with emerging managers.  She most recently co-managed the $30 billion Employees Retirement System of Texas (Texas ERS). During her over a decade of experience at Texas ERS, she led her team and was instrumental as the investment program evolved along with the governance to achieve top quartile returns.  Additional accomplishments include aiCIO 2018 NextGen Chief Investment Officer, Institutional Investors 2018 NextGen Chief Investment Officer Finalist, NextGen 2017 Woman of the Year, Investment Management and Trusted Insight 2017 Top 30 Pension Rising Stars.  Prior to her tenure at ERS, she spent 15 years in the venture and technology industry working in financial, legal, operational and management roles.

Kassam is a frequent public speaker on developments in the investment industry, investment governance and public pension management.  Kassam is highly involved in industry advisory boards and think tanks to promote the alignment between investors and managers, including the CAIA Allocator Council and Alternative Investor Forum (AIF).  She is a senior fellow at the Milken Institute Center for Financial Markets, where she focuses on policy education regarding the investment industry and financial markets.  Kassam holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting (with honors) and a J.D. degree, both from The University of Texas. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Texas and licensed to practice law in California and Texas.