Effective from 1 February, the newly-created role will see Economou instil a risk-based style similar to that which he employed while in his former role as CEO and CIO at CERN Pension Fund, known as the ‘CERN Model’.
The recruitment comes in response to the current low-yield and volatile environment, which the firm is negotiating using a smart beta investment approach.
Having joined LOIM’s pension scheme advisory panel last year, the firm said that Economou’s knowledge of the business will allow him to reinforce its smart beta methodology, which the LOIM adopted in 2009.
Coming from a background of running pension assets, Economou will operate from LOIM’s Geneva office and report to company CIO Jan Straatman.
A company spokesperson said: “The recruitment underscores what LOIM have been doing in this area [since 2009]. Economou, while not using exactly the same approach [as the CERN Model], will be using the same principles.”
Thierry Lagrange replaces Economou at CERN Pension Fund on a temporary six-month basis.