Naomi Denning

A Principal in our Vancouver office and a member of the Board of Directors, Naomi leads Eckler’s largest investment consulting practice. She brings over 35 years of investment consulting experience with a wide range of clients – including pension plans, government funds, endowments/foundations, Indigenous trusts, employee life and health trusts, family offices, insurance companies and other reserve funds.  Naomi works primarily with clients in BC and Western Canada. She also chairs Eckler’s Responsible Investment Committee covering ESG practice.

Her specific areas of expertise include governance, investment policy and risk management, asset allocation, manager selection and monitoring. In addition to consulting responsibilities, Naomi is a member of the Investment Research Steering Committee, which oversees investment manager and strategy research. Naomi has a particular passion for helping boards improve their governance and decision-making. She has also participated extensively on board and advisory committees. She has completed numerous governance projects with investment boards to assess their structure, processes, focus and time allocation, and decision-making effectiveness.

Naomi is a global citizen having lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong before coming to Canada. Prior to Eckler, Naomi was Head of Investment, Asia Pacific, for a global consulting firm for over 20 years. She began her career in the UK and qualified with the UK Society of Investment Professionals.

• Asset liability modelling
• Custody
• Governance
• Investment beliefs, manager monitoring, manager research, manager reviews, manager selection, mandate design, performance monitoring, and policy
• Portfolio construction

Professional Qualifications  

• Loughborough University of Science & Technology, UK – Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Sports Science
• HKUST/Kellogg Northwestern – Executive MBA
• Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals (ASIP) – UK
• Naomi completed her Diploma for a Non-Executive Director with the Financial Times in 2016.
• Member of the CFA Society UK and CFA Vancouver

Professional Activities

• Served as a member of the FTSE Asia Pacific Regional Index Committee for over 15 years
• Served as a member of the Hang Seng Index – Advisory Committee for more than 10 years

Naomi was recognized by Asian Investor Magazine as one of the top 25 most influential people in Asset Management in Asia.

When not delivering expert investment advice, she’s an active volunteer with various organizations. She currently volunteers with the West Vancouver Foundation as the Board Chair and an Investment Committee member.

Naomi’s previous volunteer positions include:

• The Chinese University of HK – Advisory Board Member and Mentor
• The Women’s Foundation, HK – Mentor and HR Advisory Council Member
• Volunteer with Room to Read sponsoring girl’s literacy in developing countries

A sports enthusiast, Naomi enjoys skiing, squash, gymnastics and walking the dog.

Naomi has a great passion for Asian food and culture, especially Thailand, where she was married, and the nearby Mekong Delta region, where she has travelled extensively.