Leadership

Ms. Rosemarie McClean brings to the position over 32 years of progressively responsible experience in pension administration and management. Previously she was Chief Operating Officer of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in Toronto where she managed a sizable budget and was responsible for operational activities including financial operations for pension administration and investments, information technology, project management, and process improvement.

Before that position, Ms. McClean served as Senior Vice-President of Member Services in the Pension Plan and was accountable for all aspects of service delivery to retired and working teachers in Ontario. Named as one of the Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network in 2008, she has mentored young leaders throughout her career.

Ms. McClean holds a Master of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management from the University of Waterloo. She holds a Certified Public Accountant designation.

Mr. Pedro Antonio Guazo Alonso was appointed the Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the UNJSPF on 29 July 2020.

Mr. Guazo was the Finance Director at the United Nations in New York for almost eight years. He managed a portfolio of more than USD$10 billion and an annual revenue of US$13 billion. He led the Organization’s finance operations in practically every country in the world.

Prior to joining the United Nations in 2012, he served in a similar capacity for more than two years as the Director of Finance and Treasury at the United Nations World Food Programme, managing a Portfolio of USD$4 billion and supervising finance officials in more than 75 Country Offices.

During a 15-year banking career, he contributed to the modernization of the Mexican Financial System, while serving as its regulator and supervisor. As CFO and Treasurer at the Federal Mortgage Bank (SHF), he negotiated and managed loans from the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Similarly, he championed financial inclusion among people with low and middle incomes as CFO and Treasurer of the National Savings and Financial Services Bank (BANSEFI). His government service included posts at the Ministry of Finance and at the National Banking and Securities Commission, as a member of its Financial Sector Supervisory Body. While a student, he started his professional career at PWC.

A former professor of Finance at ITAM, Mr. Guazo received an International Executive MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid. He earned a Master’s degree in Business Economics from ITESM and graduated from ITAM in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting.

Mr. David John Penklis was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive of Pension Administration and started on 16 September. He brings over two decades of finance, administration, and management experience to the Fund. He has managed, started, and transitioned complex UN organizations and has extensive experience in global operations, large scale transaction processing, implementing change, optimization, and improvement programmes.

He was previously the Executive Officer, United Nations Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, providing support to headquarters and field activities.  Prior to this position, Mr. Penklis served as the acting Director, Field Budget and Finance Division, Department Field Support, and before that Director, Mission Support, and Head of Liquidation, United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). He also established the UN Regional Service Centre in Entebbe (Uganda) and was a Principal Officer in the Department of Management.

Mr. Penklis holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from The University of Sydney (Australia), Master of Arts in International Relations, Master of Commerce, and Bachelor of Business. He holds professional membership designations as a Certified Practicing Accountant and Certified Australian Human Resources Institute.

Ms. Maria Clarissa O’Donnell was appointed as Chief of Operations in June 2016, having served the UNJSPF for 15 years –  7 years as Chief of Pension Entitlements Section, 2 years as Chief of Client Services & Records Management and Distribution Unit, 3 years as a Benefits Officer and 3 years as Deputy Cashier.  Prior to the UNJSPF, she served 10 years in UNHCR in Geneva, Moscow and Africa mostly, in the Finance and Administration areas.  Before joining the UN System, she worked for Far East Bank and Trust Co. in the Philippines for 3 years as an accountant.

Ms. O’Donnell obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in 1987 from Asia’s oldest university (University of Santo Tomas, Manila) before becoming a Certified Public Accountant.

Reporting to both Pension Administration and the Office of Investment Management

In March 2017, Mr. Karl-Ludwig Soll was appointed to the position of Chief Financial Officer. He joined UNJSPF from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva where he served as the Deputy Director (Finance) for three years. Mr. Soll previously served as the Fund’s Chief Financial Officer from 2012 to 2014 when the position had been established for the first time.

Before joining the UN System, Mr. Soll had been working for 20 years with international professional service firms in the United States and in Europe providing advice on accounting and financial reporting, and project management for clients.

Mr. Soll graduated from Freie Universitaet Berlin in 1992 as a Diplom-Kaufmann and was certified as a Certified Public Accountant in the United States (CPA) and in Germany (Wirtschaftspruefer).

In January 2017, Mr. Dino Cataldo Dell’Accio was appointed to the position of Chief Information Officer of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.

Before joining the UNJSPF, Mr. Dell’Accio served as Chief of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Audit in the Office of Internal Oversight Services, and Information Security Officer in the ICT Service Division of the United Nations Secretariat. Previously, he served as Internal Auditor/ICT Auditor in UNICEF.

Prior to his assignments with the United Nations System, Mr. Dell’Accio worked as Internal Auditor and Business Process Analyst in the Institute for Loans and Deposits of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Mr. Dell’Accio holds several qualifications and professional certifications in ICT Management and Security, Auditing and Accounting. He holds Master’s degrees in Internal Auditing and ICT and Telecommunications Laws.

Mr. Alan Blythe is Chief of Client Services and Outreach. Born in the U.K., Mr. Blythe completed a degree in English and French literature before qualifying as a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. He began his international career in 1988 with CERN in Geneva. He was transferred to the CERN Pension Fund at the beginning of 1992, subsequently becoming Head of CERN Pension Fund’s financial service. He began his UN career as Chief of the Financial Services Section of the UNJSPF in New York in 2002. In 2008, he was briefly Chief Operating Officer, before being asked to become Chief of the Fund Office in Geneva. Mr. Blythe acted as Secretary of the Pension Board ad interim in 2020. He is now back in Pension Administration in New York leading the Fund’s Client Services and Outreach Service.

Mr. Toru Shindo currently serves as the Chief Investment Officer for the Office of Investment Management. With over 25 years of experience in investments and a comprehensive 35-year background in the finance industry, he meticulously manages teams across Public Equities, Fixed Income, Private Markets, and Sustainable Investment. Mr. Shindo plays a pivotal role in recommending investment policy and strategies to the Representative of the Secretary-General, executing the strategic asset allocation, and making decisions in tactical strategies. His focus is on ensuring sustained performance over long-term horizons for the Fund.

Mr. Shindo's journey with UNJSPF began in February 2004 as an Investment Officer for Asia Pacific equities, progressing to Senior Investment Officer in April 2007. Recognizing his expertise, he was promoted to Deputy Director and Chief of Investment Section in February 2009.   In May 2021, he was promoted to the first Chief Investment Officer when the Fund newly established the position.

Before joining UNJSPF, Mr. Shindo held the position of Director at Deutsche Trust Bank in Tokyo, where he concentrated on the active management of international equity for public and private pension funds. With a robust background spanning over 35 years in the finance industry, he has previously been associated with Bankers Trust and Nikko Securities.

Mr. Shindo earned his BA in Economics from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo and his MBA from New York University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Mr. William Wilkinson is responsible for Operations and Information Systems and joined the Office of Investment Management (OIM) of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) in 2017. He is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm’s Target Operating Model which is aimed at building an end-to-end infrastructure and business applications capable of supporting the anticipated growth of the Fund over the next five to ten years.

Prior to joining the United Nations, Mr. Wilkinson was the Head of Operations and Technology for TIAA-CREF Asset Management where he was responsible for the support of all client services, investments, risk management, compliance and middle office-related systems and operational activities. Mr. Wilkinson has also held previous leadership roles in Technology & Operations at AIG’s Global Investments Group, Citigroup Asset Management, and UBS AG.

Mr. Wilkinson received a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, an M.B.A. in Business Computer Information Systems from Hofstra University, and a B.S. in Marketing from New York Institute of Technology. In addition, Mr. Wilkinson is a member of the New York Bar Association and a licensed attorney.

Mr. Jose Nunez is the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, Director, at the Office of Investment Management (OIM) of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF). He joined on May 1, 2023. With over 28 years of Risk Management experience, Mr. Nunez is responsible for developing and implementing the Fund's policy on investment risk control (public equities, fixed income, and private markets risks), operational risk, compliance, and investment performance.  

Prior to joining the United Nations, he served as Chief Risk Officer at two FinTechs to integrate recently acquired banks in Mexico and implementing risk management frameworks in preparation for an IPO. He also served as Head of Wholesale Credit & Market Risk for Latin America at HSBC. As CEO of BBVA Leasing in Mexico, he championed the integration of the leasing product into the core banking operation.  

Mr. Nunez received a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the International School of Management in Paris. In addition, he earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from IPADE Business School and graduated from Universidad La Salle with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. 

Mr. Pako Thupayagale is the Director for Fixed Income and joined the Office of Investment Management (OIM) of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) on March 1, 2023. He brings a wealth of experience to the team and portfolio, having worked in the private sector, central bank, and sovereign wealth fund. Prior to joining, he spent 5 years at Ninety-One where he was a multi-asset portfolio manager. He spent 20 years at the Bank of Botswana where he was responsible for the management of Botswana’s sovereign wealth fund, the Pula Fund, which comprises global equities, fixed income, and currencies.   

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Finance from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Warwick, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Statistics from the University of Botswana. He also completed the Executive Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. He has a track-record of peer reviewed publications in academic and practitioner journals on equity and fixed-income markets across emerging markets.  

Terezie Hesounova Trivell is the Director of Private Markets  overseeing the Fund’s global private markets investments at the Office of Investment Management (OIM) of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) since April 2022. Ms. Hesounova Trivell oversees approximately US$20 billion in private markets, including private equity, real estate and infrastructure. Ms. Hesounova Trivell actively participates in asset allocation, investment strategy and organizational development roles.

Mr. Wiryanto Sumitro (Yanto) is a national of Indonesia. His work experience in the United Nations spans over 25 years, most recently as Deputy Secretary of the Administrative and Budgetary (Fifth) Committee and the Committee for Programme and Coordination of the United Nations General Assembly from 2008 to 2022. Mr. Sumitro’s career includes working for the UNJPSF as Chief Payments (2001 – 2003) and Benefits Officer (1999 - 2001). Prior to joining the United Nations, he worked as Finance Officer at IBM Indonesia from 1989 to 1993.

Mr. Sumitro is a graduate in Business Administration (Bachelor of Economics - Sarjana Ekonomi) from Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta.

During his spare time, he treasures spending time with family and enjoys travelling (by land or by air).