Industry veteran, Jim Kais, named Head of Group
Retirement; succeeds Jessica Baehr, who was appointed President of
Equitable Investment Management
Equitable, a leading financial services organization and
principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), today
announced the appointment of Jim Kais as the Head of its Group
Retirement business, effective April 1, 2024. Kais will report to
Nick Lane, President of Equitable, and join the company’s Operating
Committee. Kais succeeds Jessica Baehr, who was recently named
President of Equitable Investment Management.1
“With nearly three decades of experience, Jim is a proven and
respected leader in the retirement industry with a strong track
record of transforming and growing businesses,” said Nick Lane,
President of Equitable. “He deeply understands what plan sponsors
need to help their employees build secure financial futures,
whether they are public school administrators or small business
owners. Jim is the right leader to help us build upon our
privileged legacy of serving educators and help us grow our
position in the small business retirement plan market.”
In this role, Kais will be responsible for the strategy, product
portfolio, client experience and financial results for Equitable’s
Group Retirement business, including its tax exempt 403(b) and 457
businesses and the small business 401(k) market. Equitable is the
leading 403(b) retirement plan provider in the K-12 educators
market, with 1,100 dedicated financial professionals serving more
than 800,000 educators across the country.2 The company is also a
top provider of 457 plans for local governments and municipalities,
and 401(k) solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses.
Prior to joining Equitable, Kais served as Head of Retirement
Plans at Ameritas. During his tenure, he notably transformed the
company’s retirement plan distribution system, successfully growing
the business. He also has proven experience working with plan
sponsors in the 403(b), 457 and 401(k) plan markets, having
established the multiple employer plan (MEP) business at Ameritas.
Kais also worked at Transamerica for more than a decade, where he
held several leadership positions, including Senior Vice President
for the company’s Retirement practice. Prior to Transamerica, he
held various roles at ADP TotalSource, Prudential and Merrill
Lynch.
Kais was recognized on the 401(k) Wire's "2022's 100 Most
Influential People" list and has testified before Congress on three
separate occasions as a policy and subject matter expert on pooled
retirement plans (PEPs), fiduciary regulations and state-run
retirement plans. He serves on the advisory board for the SPARK
Institute and on the Retirement Plans Committee of the American
Council of Life Insurers. Kais earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Economics and Business Administration from Ursinus College and
holds the FINRA Series 6, 63 and 26 securities registrations.
Company veteran Jessica Baehr, who served as the Head of Group
Retirement since 2021, has assumed a new leadership position as the
President of Equitable Investment Management. Baehr will continue
to serve on Equitable’s Operating Committee and report to Chief
Investment Officer Steven Joenk.
Equitable Investment Management is the registered investment
adviser for the 126 portfolios that underlie Equitable’s variable
insurance products, retail mutual funds and suite of model
portfolios. Its mission is to create unique investment solutions,
offering clients choice through access to a competitive,
well-diversified portfolio of fund solutions. With approximately
$116 billion in assets under management,3 Equitable Investment
Management places among the top 12% of U.S. mutual fund companies4
and is a meaningful contributor to Equitable Holdings’ financial
results.
“Equitable Investment Management is a differentiator for
Equitable. Jessica is the right leader to take the helm, as we
continue to create competitive investment solutions for clients and
drive sustainable value for the enterprise,” said Steven Joenk,
Chief Investment Officer for Equitable. “Jessica is a seasoned
leader who is well positioned to usher in our next chapter of
growth, drawing upon her experience running our second largest
business, Group Retirement, and deep understanding of our variable
insurance products and proprietary funds.”
Baehr first joined Equitable in 2011. Her previous leadership
roles also include serving as the Chief Operating Officer for the
company’s Life and Employee Benefits businesses and Head of
Investor Relations for Equitable Holdings. Prior to Equitable,
Baehr started her career in the non-profit sector working in higher
education and international development. She earned a Bachelor of
Arts in International Studies with a focus on Russian and Eastern
European Studies and a Master of Business Administration from
Fairfield University.
About Equitable
Equitable, a principal franchise of Equitable Holdings, Inc.
(NYSE: EQH), has been one of America’s leading financial services
providers since 1859. With the mission to help clients secure their
financial well-being, Equitable provides advice, protection and
retirement strategies to individuals, families and small
businesses. Equitable has more than 8,000 employees and Equitable
Advisors financial professionals and serves 3 million clients
across the country. Please visit equitable.com for more
information.
Duly registered and licensed Financial Professionals offer
securities through Equitable Advisors, LLC (NY, NY 212-314-4600),
member FINRA, SIPC (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN),
and offer annuity and insurance products through Equitable Network,
LLC (Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC;
Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC; Equitable Network
of Puerto Rico, Inc.). Equitable Investment Management Group, LLC
(EIMG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Equitable Financial Life
Insurance Company, which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of
Equitable Holdings, Inc. Equitable Investment Management, LLC (EIM
II) is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Equitable Holdings,
Inc. EIMG and EIM II are affiliates of Equitable Advisors and
AllianceBernstein L.P ("AB"). “Equitable Investment Management” is
a brand name that includes EIMG and EIM II. References to
“Equitable Investment Management” includes EIMG, and its affiliate,
EIM II.
___________________________ 1 Equitable Investment Management is
the brand name for Equitable Investment Management Group, LLC and
its affiliate Equitable Investment Management, LLC, which share the
same infrastructure and officers and directors. 2 LIMRA,
Not-for-Profit Survey, Q3 2023 Results, based on 403(b) plan
participants and contributions. This and reference to the company’s
1859 founding apply specifically and exclusively to Equitable
Financial Life Insurance Company (Equitable Financial), NY, NY. 3
$116 billion in assets under management, excluding fund of funds,
as of 12/31/2023. 4 Equitable Investment Management with data from
the Investment Company Institute (ICI), as of 12/31/2023. Equitable
Investment Management placed among the top 12% of 291 firms tracked
by ICI, based on company assets under management in regulated
open-end funds, including mutual funds and institutional funds.
Placement is subject to change.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240327605611/en/
Media Monique Freeman mediarelations@equitable.com (212)
314-2010
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