MassMutual Chief Investment Officer Tim Corbett to Retire After 12 Years With the Company; Eric Partlan Named Successor

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) today announced that Tim Corbett, chief investment officer, will retire after successfully leading the company’s investment strategy and overseeing its General Investment Account (GIA) for the past 12 years. Eric Partlan, head of portfolio management, will succeed Corbett, effective March 1, 2023.

“Tim has played an important role in executing on our strategy and delivering outstanding investment results across our portfolios, helping us effectively manage long-term risk across various global market cycles and constantly changing economic conditions while providing value to our policyowners,” said Roger Crandall, MassMutual Chairman, President and CEO. “We will miss Tim’s innovative spirit and relentless focus on the culture, people and talent within the investment team and across the company.”

Corbett, who has had a distinguished 40-year career in investment management, joined MassMutual in 2011 and built a leading investment management model and team. During his tenure at MassMutual, the company doubled its GIA to more than $220 billion^[1] and opened the door to new investment opportunities that have benefitted the company’s policyowners and communities.

Under his leadership and in partnership with MassMutual’s global institutional asset manager, Barings, the company’s portfolio grew to include a wide range of diversified investments, including private equity, renewable energy, and more. Corbett also oversaw the addition of Rothesay, the UK’s largest specialist pensions insurer, to MassMutual’s portfolio of strategic businesses and investments, as well as the launch of MassMutual Ventures, which manages more than $1 billion globally, backing more than 65 startups across the financial technology, enterprise SaaS, cybersecurity, digital health and climate technology sectors. And, most recently, MassMutual implemented a forward-thinking approach to impact investing with efforts like the MM Catalyst Fund and the First Fund Initiative, which make direct investments in Black-led businesses in Massachusetts, as well as tech businesses based outside Boston to fuel innovation across the Commonwealth, and diverse, first-time fund managers, respectively.

Following Corbett’s departure, Eric Partlan will be promoted to chief investment officer and join MassMutual’s executive leadership team, reporting to Crandall.

“A testament to Tim’s strong leadership is the excellent successor that he leaves us with in Eric,” added Crandall. “As we look to the future, I am confident that Eric’s extensive investment expertise, risk management discipline, and proven leadership qualities will help us continue to grow our business and deliver on our commitments to our policyowners and customers, helping them secure their future and protect the ones they love.”

Partlan, a 19-year veteran of MassMutual, joined Babson Capital Management, a former MassMutual subsidiary that is now part of Barings, in 2004, where he was a member of the Structured Credit Products Group. In 2010, he joined MassMutual as head of investment risk, where he was instrumental in developing the company’s approach to assessing and mitigating risk within its GIA. Since 2013, Partlan has served as head of portfolio management for MassMutual, leading a team that is responsible for the company’s global asset allocation, asset liability management, overall portfolio hedging, and quantitative research and development. Prior to joining MassMutual, Partlan held several engineering roles at companies including The Boeing Company and B/E Aerospace.

Partlan is a certified Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with master’s degrees in business administration and mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and mechanical engineering from Michigan State University.

About MassMutual

MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners. Founded in 1851, the company has been continually guided by one consistent purpose: we help people secure their future and protect the ones they love. With a focus on delivering long-term value, MassMutual offers a wide range of protection, accumulation, wealth management and retirement products and services. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com.