Johns Hopkins Investment Office announces new director of investments

Mark Rooney is joining Johns Hopkins as director of investments within the university's Investment Office. Rooney will begin this spring and will report directly to Christopher Lenox, managing director of investments.

"I am excited to welcome Mark to the JHU Investment Office," Lenox says. "Mark brings with him more than 20 years of investment experience in both global public equity and credit markets, and he will be a key contributor to both our external investment manager partnerships and opportunistic investment activity going forward."

The Investment Office has responsibility for investing the endowments for the university, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and other related endowed entities, totaling more than $8 billion.

Rooney was most recently the lead portfolio manager/analyst on the international equity value team at Lazard Asset Management. He previously worked as the portfolio manager/analyst at LRV Capital, a firm he co-founded, and was a partner at Millgate Capital. Throughout his time in the public markets, Rooney invested in a diverse set of companies across 30 countries. Before beginning his career in public equities, he worked as a senior trader focusing on emerging markets and domestic high-yield debt.

Rooney will work across the entire investment portfolio, focusing on the university's public and private investments in value-oriented strategies, including public equity, distressed credit, and opportunistic value investments.

Jason Perlioni, the university's chief investment officer, says, "I am thrilled to have Mark Rooney joining the JHU Investment Office as we continue to expand the talent and depth of the team. His leadership and experience will make an immediate impact on the team, and his values align tightly with the culture we are building at Johns Hopkins.

"As a senior member of the investment team," he continues, "Mark will be instrumental in helping shape our investment strategy in the years to come. I look forward to his valuable contributions to the portfolio as we work to support the mission of Johns Hopkins."

Rooney received his bachelor's degree in economics and government from Connecticut College and holds an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University.