Dimensional Fund Advisors Promotes Savina Rizova to New Co-CIO Role

Dimensional Fund Advisors, an investment advisory firm with $677 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2023, announced plans to restructure its leadership roles, elevating Savina Rizova, formerly global head of research, to a new co-CIO role.

Rizova will serve in the role alongside Gerard O’Reilly, who was previously in charge of the firm’s research team and has been co-CEO and CIO since 2017. Rizova will continue her duties as global head of research at the firm, according to a Dimensional spokesperson.

“Savina is one of the smartest, most dedicated leaders I have had the privilege of working with,” O’Reilly said in a press release. “In addition to her impressive research expertise, she has helped drive innovation across Dimensional’s product offering, including the development, launch, and rapid growth of our exchange-traded funds, expanded separately managed accounts offering, and model portfolios. I look forward to working alongside her to help financial professionals and investors pursue their financial goals.”

Rizova joined Dimensional in 2004 as a research assistant and was elevated to the role of global head of research in 2019. She was previously co-head of research and head of strategy research at the firm. She earned a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. and an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.

The structure that sees multiple people sharing leadership roles is one the spokesperson said has already proved successful.

“Dimensional has demonstrated the benefits of a team-based structure in other areas of the business, including our co-CEOs and co-heads of [the global client group], and we believe it puts us in a strong position to serve financial professionals and investors,” the firm spokesperson said.