MutualFundWire.com: Who Will Take Over a $77B-AUM Fund Firm In the Midwest?

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Thursday, September 18, 2025

Who Will Take Over a $77B-AUM Fund Firm In the Midwest?

The hunt is on for a new chief to lead Midwestern insurer's subadvised mutual fund and variable annuity arm, a fund firm with more than $77 billion in AUM.

Kevin Thomas Jestice
Nationwide Financial
Senior Vice President, President of the Investment Management Group

Today, the Nationwide Financial [profile] team confirms that they will search ASAP for the next leader of the Columbus, Ohio-based firm's investment management group (IMG). Yet current IMG president Kevin Jestice isn't leaving just yet, despite being tapped to start a new Nationwide role next month.

"Kevin will remain leader until a new leader is named" at IMG, a Nationwide spokesperson writes to MFWire.

The search for a new Nationwide IMG chief comes as Jestice is preparing to shift to a sister company. On October 1, Jestice will take over as chief of retirement solutions, Nationwide's retirement plan provider arm, Nationwide Financial president and chief operating officer Craig Hawley confirms today. (See our sister publication 401kWire for more details on Nationwide recordkeeper's leadership change.)

In Jestice's new role, he will continue to report to Hawley, the Nationwide spokesperson confirms. Like Nationwide itself, Jestice is based in Columbus, Ohio.

"Kevin Jestice's proven leadership — combined with his extensive investment and asset management, retirement plans operations, sales and service expertise — make him the right person to lead Nationwide Retirement Solutions into the future," Hawley states. "He brings a combination of strategic vision, operational excellence and deep industry expertise to this role. He is known for his empowering leadership style, ability to drive results, and passion for improving outcomes for investors."

Jestice took over Nationwide IMG in 2023, after joining the insurer three years earlier as vice president of internal sales and service (ISS) and institutional investments distribution (IID). Earlier, he served in a variety of leadership roles over 13 years with Vanguard, and he also worked for Ennis Knupp. He is an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton and of Loras College.

Printed from: MFWire.com/story.asp?s=70439

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