Zach Buchwald Named Russell Investments’ Eighth CEO in 87 Years

Former head of BlackRock’s North American institutional business, Zach Buchwald, has been appointed as chief executive and chairman to lead Russell Investments, effective May 1, 2023.

Buchwald takes up the mantle from Michelle Seitz, who left the $276.5 billion firm late last year to launch her own investment firm – MeydenVest Partners. Buchwald will be tasked with overseeing the firm’s growth plans.

“We believe Zach is the ideal leader to further Russell Investments’ legacy of innovation in asset management,” noted Todd R. Crockett, managing director at TA Associates, which acquired Russell Investments with Reverence Capital Partners in 2016.

Buchwald spent nearly 15 years at Blackrock and, prior to being head of institutional business, he led the asset manager’s financial institutions group, having also helped to establish its retirement solutions and financial markets advisory platforms.

Before joining Blackrock in 2008, he served as a managing director at Morgan Stanley, working largely within the firm’s fixed income division.

Buchwald will be based at the global headquarters in Seattle.