Nicholas Warren was appointed the new chief investment officer of the University, and began his duties on Jan. 3, wrote Senior Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Frances Drolette in an e-mail to the Justice.The responsibilities of the chief investment officer include assessing and recommending different investment strategies, monitoring investment managers and consultants and communicating to the Investment Committee and senior administrators the performance and positioning of the endowment.

Prior to Warren's appointment, Alison Svizzero served as interim chief investment officer.

Svizzero was appointed after the post was vacated in February 2009 when former Chief Investment Officer Deborah Kuenstner left Brandeis to become CIO of Wellesley College.

Svizzero has left Brandeis to become a director of investments for Children's Hospital Boston, Drolette wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

Spencer Stuart, a professional search firm, coordinated the recruitment and interview process that ultimately chose Warren, explained Drolette.

Additionally, the co-chairs of the Trustee Investment Committee, Daniel Jick, CCEO of High Vista Strategies, and Perry Traquina, CEO of Wellington Management, led the selection process while Drolette and several trustees and senior staff members were also involved in the interview process.

In an e-mail to the Justice, Drollete wrote that according to Jick, "Nick Warren was chosen as CIO because of his qualifications for the job, which includes roles as consultant to other endowments and foundations, an investment specialist in the alternatives investment area, and his prior experience in a university investment office."

Warren wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he is "proud to have the opportunity to work for a prestigious university with a strong academic reputation, a commitment to social justice, and a talented and committed group of Trustees.

"It is exciting to participate and help support a community of scholars and students united by their commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and its transmission from generation to generation," Warren added.

Warren wrote that he believes that the Brandeis endowment is in "excellent shape."

According to an Oct. 19, 2010 Justice article, the endowment was valued at $620 million at the end of fiscal 2010, which meant the endowment showed a 13.8-percent return.

This was a significant turnaround from fiscal 2009, when the endowment experienced a 17-percent decline in returns.

He wrote that, "The challenge is to continue the excellent stewardship of the Endowment" and that "discovering, retaining, and monitoring a group of world class investment managers is the focus of our office."

Warren also has experience with university endowments, since prior to studying at the University of Chicago business school, he was an analyst in the Office of Investment Management at Northwestern University.

The staff of the Investment Management Office currently includes two professionals, two students and one intern.