Hightower has tapped Former Nuveen executive and CNBC contributor Stephanie Link as its new chief investment strategist and portfolio manager, a newly created role at the firm, reporting to CEO Bob Oros.
Link, who served most recently as senior managing director and head of global equities research at Nuveen, will be responsible for Hightower’s Investment Solutions group, which provides outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) services, model portfolios, separately managed accounts, investment research and due diligence to Hightower advisors.
At Nuveen, she co-managed the CREF Stock Variable Annuity Portfolio, with $170 billion in assets, managed a U.S. core portfolio with $3.7 billion, and oversaw 33 investment professionals. Prior to that, she served as chief investment officer at The Street, and co-portfolio manager of Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust. She’s a long-time contributor to CNBC, as a frequent guest host on The Closing Bell, The Halftime Report and Squawk Box.
“I have been watching the independent advisory space in the last 10 years, reviewing their offerings, strategies and competitive dynamic,” Link said in a statement. “Hightower stood out among the rest as an entrepreneurial and forward-thinking firm with a significant growth trajectory.”
She’ll lead Hightower’s Investment Solutions group, a group of seven professionals that advisors can use just for research or to completely outsource all or part of their investment management.