Christopher C. Graham

Christopher Graham brings more than 20 years of experience across asset management, investment banking and wealth management to the role of Nationwide Mutual Funds chief investment officer. He is responsible for manager selection and asset allocation for Nationwide’s 114 mutual funds, which have $70 billion in assets under management. Nationwide Funds are available through financial intermediaries and in Nationwide variable insurance and retirement products.

Chris joined Nationwide in 2004 to develop the external manager platform for long only, hedge fund and private equity investments for Nationwide’s general account and pension assets. Working with fund of funds, consultants and financial intermediaries, he grew the alternatives allocation to 14 percent from 1 percent of general account assets.  In addition to his general account responsibilities, Chris also worked closely with the Nationwide Business Solutions Group (Corporate Owned Life Insurance) in developing its alternative asset portfolios.

Prior to joining Nationwide, Chris worked in investment banking at Salomon Brothers in New York  and Gold Coast Securities Ltd. in Accra, Ghana.  His also spent several years in private equity and mergers and acquisitions for Borden Capital Management Partners, a KKR portfolio company.

Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration degree from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Chris is a Robert A. Toigo fellow, served on Nationwide’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, led the United Way campaign for Nationwide’s Finance organization, and currently serves on the board at the Columbus School for Girls and the Public Welfare Foundation.  In 2016, Chris received the Institutional Investors award for Excellence in Absolute Return, Insurance.