CPP Investments veteran Kim Suyi to leave, successor named | Asset Owners

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s (CPP Investments) senior managing director and global head of private equity Kim Suyi is leaving after 17 years and will “take on new global investment leadership opportunities”, the pension fund announced on August 14.

Kim Suyi

Kim joined CPP Investments in Hong Kong in 2007 as managing director and head of private equity Asia. She opened the Canadian pension fund’s Hong Kong office in 2008, establishing its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. She became head of Asia Pacific in 2016.

She built the Asia business from scratch into a team now with 150 members. 

In 2021, Kim became global head of private equity, relocating from Hong Kong to lead the fund’s global private equity business from Toronto and New York.

Prior to CPP Investments, she worked at Ontario Teachers’​ Pension Plan, the Carlyle Group, and McKinsey and Company.

“Suyi leaves with our deep gratitude, having contributed significantly to the organization’s success during her 17-year tenure,” said John Graham, president and chief executive officer.

Kim will embark on a new professional journey at the end of this year, she said in a LinkedIn post following the announcement.

“Looking ahead, I see tremendous opportunities in private investments. I plan to bring my investing and business-building experience to a new investment platform,” she said.

Caitlin Gubbels

CPP Investments’ assets totalled C$646.8 billion ($471.7 billion) as of June 30. Asia represents about 21% of the total assets.

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Kim will be succeeded by Caitlin Gubbels, effective October 15. Gubbels joined CPP Investments in 2010 and was most recently managing director, head of funds where she leads the private equity funds business.

In the new role, she will take over the leadership role in managing the pension fund’s private equity investments globally, including direct private equity, private equity Asia and private equity funds and secondaries. 

Before CPP Investments, Gubbels worked at CIBC World Markets in investment banking, based in Toronto.