BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Putnam Funds officially announced today that Kenneth R. Leibler was named Chair of the Funds’ Board of Trustees effective July 1, 2018. Leibler served as Vice Chair of the Funds since 2016, having joined the Putnam Board of Trustees in 2006. Leibler succeeds Jameson (“Jamie”) Baxter, who served as Chair since 2011 and has retired from the Putnam Funds Board of Trustees.
“It is a great honor to be named Chair of the Funds and have the opportunity to build on Jamie Baxter’s thoughtful and ever-focused stewardship,” said Leibler. “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Jamie for 12 years — most recently as Vice Chair — and have benefited greatly from her enthusiastic leadership and extraordinary industry acumen. I speak for the entire board when I say Jamie and her dedicated service to the Putnam Funds and the fund board community are deeply appreciated.”
Baxter, a Putnam Funds Trustee since 1994, said, “After years of working closely with an extremely talented and highly active board serving the Putnam Funds, I am stepping away with the future in the very strong and capable hands of Ken Leibler and an impressive slate of Trustees. Ken’s experience and wisdom will be incredibly beneficial in helping to guide the Putnam Funds moving forward.”
Leibler has had an extensive career in financial services, having served as President of Liberty Financial Companies and the American Stock Exchange, and as Chairman of the Boston Stock Exchange. He was a Founder of the Boston Options Exchange, an electronic marketplace for the trading of derivative securities, and served as its Chairman from 2004 to 2007.
Leibler currently serves on the Board of Eversource Energy and is Vice Chair Emeritus of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. He holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Syracuse University.
About Putnam Investments
Founded in 1937, Putnam Investments is a global money management firm with 80 years of investment experience. At the end of May 2018, Putnam had $173 billion in assets under management. Putnam has offices in Boston, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney. For more information, visit putnam.com.
