ROBERT “BOBBY” BEALE

Robert “Bobby” Beale joined the LASERS Investment Division in May 1997 and has become one of the longest-serving chief investment officers in the System’s history.

During his tenure, LASERS’ total market value of assets has grown from $4 billion to $14.7 billion, reflecting decades of strategic investment leadership and long-term financial stewardship.

Beale’s success was especially evident during the 12-month period ending June 30, 2021, when LASERS achieved a 35.6 percent investment return — the highest return in the System’s history and one of the strongest performances nationwide among large public pension systems.

Throughout his career at LASERS, Beale has guided the System through some of the most challenging financial periods in modern history, including the 2001 Tech Bubble and post-9/11 market downturn, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reflecting on those experiences, Beale said:

“They are both different and the same in a way. One benefit of being a long-term investor is that you can find opportunities when these events happen. Being patient, not reactive, but also making adjustments where warranted is key.”

With more than 30 years of investment experience, Beale has earned national recognition for both his leadership and LASERS’ investment performance.

Among the System’s notable achievements during his tenure:

• In 2023, Pensions & Investments recognized LASERS as the top-performing U.S. public pension fund among 65 systems with assets greater than $1 billion tracked by the publication.
• In 2017, Pensions & Investments highlighted LASERS for one of the nation’s best one-year net investment returns, driven in part by strong public equity performance, particularly in international and emerging markets.
• Also in 2017, Top1000funds.com, a leading news and analysis source for global institutional investors, profiled LASERS as one of the best-performing U.S. public pension systems and interviewed Beale regarding the System’s investment strategy.
• In 2016, Trusted Insight recognized Beale among the Top 30 pension chief investment officers whose portfolios outperformed their peers.

Investment income serves as the primary source of funding for the retirement benefits paid to LASERS members and beneficiaries. Beale and the Investment Division staff understand the significance of that responsibility and the importance of protecting the long-term financial security of the System.

Beale emphasized that LASERS’ success extends far beyond investment performance alone.

“The value of LASERS rests with the staff everywhere in the agency because they care about our members and what we do here.”

Through decades of leadership, disciplined investing, and long-term vision, Beale has helped strengthen LASERS’ financial position and support the retirement security of thousands of Louisiana public employees and retirees.