There's a new investment chief at the US-headquartered group.

Northern Trust has appointed Eric Freedman as its new chief investment officer for the wealth management business, succeeding Katie Nixon, who has served in the role since 2012. Nixon is now leader of the Northeast region – a major one for the Chicago-headquartered group. 

In the role, Freedman will guide a practice that includes more than 200 portfolio managers nationally. He will report to wealth management president Jason Tyler, effective December 2. Nixon also continues to report to Tyler.

Nixon is joining the regional leadership team alongside Michael Bracci (South), John Fumagalli (Central), and Abel Montañez (West), the firm said in a statement yesterday. 

“Katie has always brought a rare combination of steadiness and strategic instinct to our investment practice,” Tyler said. “Those qualities will serve the Northeast Region well as she steps into a role that demands both deep client understanding and strong leadership alignment across the firm.”

“Eric arrives at a moment when investors are facing more choices, more information, and more uncertainty,” Tyler added. “His leadership will further strengthen our platform and help ensure we are delivering the insight and consistency private clients need to achieve their financial goals.”

Freedman brings more than two decades of deep investment leadership, spanning global asset allocation, wealth and institutional portfolio management, and oversight of large investment teams. He most recently served as US Bank's chief investment officer and oversaw the firm's asset management group. His career includes additional senior roles at asset managers and advisory firms including Goldman Sachs. He holds a BA from Colgate University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on the American Banker Association’s Investment Advisory Committee and is chairman of the Diocese of Raleigh Investment Committee.

In September, Northern Trust appointed Michael Hunstad as president of Northern Trust Asset Management (NTAM), effective immediately, replacing Daniel Gamba. Hunstad joined Northern Trust’s management group and reports to chief executive officer Michael O’Grady.

Northern Trust Wealth Management had $492.6 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025.