William Huffman

Overview

William Huffman was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Nuveen in June 2024, succeeding Jose Minaya and stepping up from his position as head of equities and fixed income. Huffman brings more than 30 years of experience in asset management to lead the investment manager of TIAA with $1.2 trillion in assets under management.

Education & Background

Huffman earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from Indiana University and his MBA in finance from the University of Chicago. He has also passed the Certified Public Accountant exam. Based in Chicago, Huffman chairs the Nuveen Executive Committee and is a member of parent company TIAA's Executive Committee.

Career History

• Chief Executive Officer, Nuveen (June 2024–present)
• President of Nuveen Asset Management and Head of Equities and Fixed Income – managing a global investment business across equities, taxable fixed income, municipals, multi-asset, private capital and green lending
• CEO of Northern Trust Global Investments Limited (prior to 2008)
• Director of Quantitative Product Management at Northern Trust
• Leader of Internal Audit Group at Northern Trust, responsible for treasury, investment management and finance functions

Notable Achievements

Huffman led the acquisition of FAF Advisors (the former asset management division of U.S. Bank), Greenworks Lending and Arcmont Asset Management, and the integration of numerous affiliate businesses including Nuveen Asset Management, TIAA Public Investments, TIAA Private Investments, Symphony Asset Management, NWQ Investment Management, Santa Barbara Asset Management and Churchill Asset Management. As a member of the firm's Executive Leadership Team, Huffman played a significant role in growing Nuveen's assets under management to $1.2 trillion from $800 billion in 2014. In 2023, Nuveen acquired Arcmont Asset Management, a European private debt investment manager, and a 12,000-unit affordable housing portfolio, an area of growth for the division.

Huffman serves as an executive sponsor of Nuveen's Philanthropic Steering Committee and the Nuveen Culture and Inclusion Council, which is tasked with building an engaging culture for all associates. He resides in the Chicago area and serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago, and is a Rush System Trustee Member and Member of the Cancer Advisory Council.

What Huffman brings to Nuveen CEO role: Huffman's track record demonstrates expertise in strategic M&A integration, global asset management scaling, and multi-asset platform consolidation. His tenure overseeing equities, fixed income, and private capital businesses managing $1 trillion in AUM positions him to drive continued growth across Nuveen's public and private market capabilities. Recently, Nuveen agreed to acquire Schroders for £9.9 billion, creating one of the world's largest asset management groups, signaling his vision for international expansion and sector consolidation.