US investment giant Vanguard has hired Natalie Lamarque as chief legal officer, replacing Tonya Robinson, who is leaving after less than a year.
Lamarque joins from Principal Financial Group, where she was general counsel. At Vanguard, she will be responsible for all legal and compliance activities, public policy and investment stewardship. She will also serve as managing director of its legal division and secretary of the board and Vanguard funds.
Vanguard is one of the world’s largest asset management businesses with around $10 trillion of assets under management.
Salim Ramji, Vanguard’s CEO, said: “Natalie has spent her career ensuring everyday investors get a fair shake and helping people achieve a secure retirement. She is a seasoned executive who brings exceptional legal expertise and a deep understanding of our industry and the global regulatory environment. We are thrilled to add her leadership and judgement across business, legal and policy matters to the firm.”
Lamarque spent just over three years at Principal Financial Group, having previously been GC at New York Life Insurance Company for more than eight years. She also had earlier spells as an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of New York, having started out as a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton following two years clerking in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and in the District Court of the Eastern District of North Carolina.
She said: “I’ve long admired Vanguard’s reputation for integrity and work to champion everyday investors. I am excited to join Vanguard’s leadership team and to work with the firm’s talented legal professionals to advocate for better access and better investment outcomes, so more people have the chance to realise their financial goals and secure their future.”
Robinson, meanwhile, is leaving after just under a year with the company, having arrived last October from KPMG where she spent seven years as GC. She was previously acting GC at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and also spent time in the White House during the Obama administration as a special assistant for justice and regulatory policy.
Ramji added: “I thank Tonya for her service to our clients and crew. We are grateful for her contributions and wish her success in the future.”
In other recent finance moves, last month Canada’s Manulife hired former JPMorgan lawyer Mike Coyne as its next GC, while in July Deutsche Bank announced it was hiring Freshfields’ European white-collar crime head Simone Kämpfer as its next GC.
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