Former Fidelity COO to Lead Putnam Investments

June 12, 2008 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Former Fidelity COO Robert L. "Bob" Reynolds has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Putnam Investments.

Reynolds departed Fidelity a little more than a year ago (see Reynolds Steps Down after 23-Year Fidelity Career ) following a career that began in 1984 and included a stint as president of Fidelity Investments Institutional Retirement Group (now FESCo), before assuming the position as Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer in June 2000.

In a press release, the Board of Directors of Putnam Investments also announced that Charles E. “Ed” Haldeman, current Putnam Investments President and Chief Executive Officer, has been named Chairman of Putnam Investment Management, LLC. Both appointments are effective July 1, 2008.

“Bob brings substantial industry experience, an outstanding record of success, and a high energy level to Putnam’s leadership team,” said R. Jeffrey Orr, Chairman of The Board of Directors of Putnam Investments. “We welcome Bob to the Putnam team,” said Haldeman, in announcing the change. “I personally look forward to working with him as we continue positioning Putnam to exceed our clients’ expectations.”

“For more than two decades, I have known Putnam as a formidable and respected investment management company, and, quite frankly, a very tough competitor,” said Reynolds. “Putnam has a strong reputation for its broad investment management capability, distribution prowess, and award-winning service. I am honored and excited to join Putnam and lead a company that has one of the great legacies in the industry.”

Reynolds was awarded PLANSPONSOR’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and was acknowledged as a key industry figure of the decade in PLANSPONSOR’s Tenth Anniversary issue .

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