Global professional services company Towers Watson (NYSE, NASDAQ: TW) has appointed Jim Neill, Michael Dudkowski and Michael Patalsky to provide investment services from its Pittsburgh office. These services include risk assessment, strategic asset allocation, investment manager research and selection, and outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) services. All three joined Towers Watson on February 25.

Neill, who has an M.B.A. from the Katz School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh and is a CFA charter holder, joined from Wilshire Associates, where he worked for 15 years and held the position of managing director in the firm’s investment consulting division. His responsibilities included advising institutional investors, managing the firm’s multi-manager funds and serving as a member of the OCIO investment committee. Previous roles include equity trader and portfolio manager positions at Mellon Bank, N.A. (now BNY Mellon). He has 20 years of investment experience. Neill is a director, and will be responsible for helping to grow both the OCIO and traditional consulting businesses.

Dudkowski, who has an M.B.A. from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, joined from Wilshire Associates, where he worked since 2004 and held the position of managing director in the firm’s investment consulting division. Previous roles include director for research and fixed-income marketing at Federated Investors, Inc. and principal in the Portfolio Strategies Research Group at First Union Corporation (now Wells Fargo). Dudkowski is a senior investment consultant, and will be working with both OCIO and traditional consulting clients and prospects.

Patalsky, who has an M.B.A. from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University and is a CFA charter holder, also joined from Wilshire Associates, where he worked for nine years and held the position of managing director in the firm’s investment consulting division. Prior to Wilshire, he worked on the plan sponsor side in the Benefits Investment and Financing group of PPG Industries, Inc., and also previously worked at Hewitt Associates (now Aon Hewitt). Patalsky is a senior investment consultant, and will be working with both OCIO and traditional consulting clients and prospects.

“We are delighted to open an Investment office in Pittsburgh, and these hires are an indication of our ambition to continue to grow market share. We welcome Jim and the two Michaels, and look forward to benefiting from their significant combined experience. We expect to continue hiring as general demand grows in all areas of our Investment business,” said Steve Carlson, U.S. head of Investment at Towers Watson.

Towers Watson Investment

Towers Watson’s Investment business is focused on creating financial value for institutional investors through its expertise in risk assessment, strategic asset allocation, fiduciary management and investment manager selection. It has over 800 associates worldwide, assets under advisory of over US$2.2 trillion and over US$75 billion of assets under management.

About Towers Watson

Towers Watson (NYSE, NASDAQ: TW) is a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk and financial management. With 15,000 associates around the world, the company offers consulting, technology and solutions in the areas of benefits, talent management, rewards, and risk and capital management. Learn more at towerswatson.com.