Star Endowment Manager’s Next Act at Rockefeller University

Paula Volent is the recently named Chief Investment Officer for Rockefeller University’s $2.5 billion endowment. Paula previously oversaw Bowdoin College’s endowment for twenty years as it grew from $450 million to $2 billion during her tenure and generated returns at the very top of the industry. Bowdoin’s Investment Committee Chair, Stan Druckenmiller, describes Paula as an innovative, outside-of-the-box thinker, an aggressive risk-taker, and a workaholic whose passion is unlike anyone he has ever seen. Paula is also one of my oldest friends in the business from our time crossing paths at Yale in the mid-‘90s. Our conversation covers Paula’s unique career path from art conservation to endowment management and the transferable lessons she learned along the way. In the process, we discuss her approach at Bowdoin and plans for Rockefeller University.