Leslie Barbi is the Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer of Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA), and is a member of RGA’s Executive Committee. Leslie joined RGA in 2020 and has 30 years of experience in investment management, including 20 years of leadership roles in the insurance industry.
As CIO, Leslie leads the global investment team of approximately 250 professionals across North America, EMEA, and Asia. She is responsible for the strategic leadership of RGA’s global asset platform, portfolio, and investment policy. Leslie is extensively involved across the enterprise and serves on various corporate or steering committees, including risk, business, balance sheet, technology, and rewards. Leslie’s board engagement includes the RGA Board of Directors, as well as the Board Investment Committees of RGA entities around the world. She is the key liaison to the Chair of the RGA’s Board Investment Committee. Leslie serves as a member of the board of directors of two of RGA’s significant operating subsidiaries – RGA Reinsurance Company and RGA Life and Annuity Insurance Company.
Prior to RGA, Leslie served as Executive Officer – Senior Vice President, Head of Public Investments at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, leading a team that actively managed $120 billion in fixed income portfolios, directing portfolio management, research, trading, strategy, and the asset/liability management and derivatives team. In addition, she served on multiple strategic committees, including the Investment Committee, and was a board member of Northwestern Mutual’s Wealth Management Company.
Prior to that, Leslie was Senior Managing Director, Head of Public Fixed Income at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. In this role, she was responsible for oversight of the team, investment process, portfolio construction and risk management, and oversaw the management of several mutual funds. Earlier in her career, Leslie held senior positions at Goldman Sachs Asset Management and at Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO).
Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Harvard University and an MBA in finance from The University of Chicago. Active in the industry, she served for eight years on the advisory board of the Fixed Income Forum, an industry organization comprising heads of fixed income or chief investment officers of approximately 50 buy-side firms. Leslie also is a member of and engages regularly with CIO groups in North America and EMEA. Throughout her career, Leslie has pursued her passion for process improvement, talent development, and strategy development.