Ontario Teachers' to invest in global disruptive technology through new innovation platform

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Apr 23, 2019, 11:41 ET

Olivia Steedman to lead new department

TORONTO, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers') is pleased to announce it is launching a new investment department, Teachers' Innovation Platform (TIP). TIP will focus on late-stage venture capital and growth equity investments in companies that use technology to disrupt incumbents and create new sectors.

Olivia Steedman, Senior Managing Director, Teachers' Innovation Platform, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (CNW Group/Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan)

"We are excited to build a platform that leverages our track record, internal talent and partnership model," said Ziad Hindo, Chief Investment Officer at Ontario Teachers'. "It will not be anchored to any particular region, meaning we can go anywhere in the world where there is opportunity."

Olivia Steedman will build and lead TIP as its new Senior Managing Director. Ms. Steedman has been at Ontario Teachers' since 2002. She has been a founding member and senior leader of the infrastructure and natural resources group, which has grown into a $26 billion global platform.

"This is a time of unprecedented change in multiple areas including computing, materials science, robotics and medicine. There are significant opportunities to invest in the new businesses and sectors that are emerging as a result of this change," said Ms. Steedman.

Ontario Teachers' believes the new platform has the potential to generate strong, above-market returns for Plan members. The world is changing, and we are committed to finding new areas of opportunity to position our portfolio well for the future. As an active and long-term investor with deep partnerships around the world, Ontario Teachers' can move quickly to source and make investments. It can provide patient and intelligent capital to support sustainable value creation.

About Ontario Teachers'

The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers') is Canada's largest single-profession pension plan, with $191.1 billion in net assets at Dec. 31, 2018. It holds a diverse global portfolio of assets, approximately 80% of which is managed in-house, and has earned an annual total-fund net return of 9.7% since the plan's founding in 1990. Ontario Teachers' is an independent organization headquartered in Toronto. Its Asia-Pacific region office is located in Hong Kong and its Europe, Middle East & Africa region office is in London. The defined-benefit plan, which is fully funded, invests and administers the pensions of the province of Ontario's 327,000 active and retired teachers. For more information, visit otpp.com and follow us on Twitter @OtppInfo.