About Leita

Leita Advisory is an independent OCIO search consultant. We help institutions evaluate, select, and transition to the right Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) or investment consulting partner. We work with investment committees, boards, CFOs, and nonprofit leaders to design and execute a comprehensive search process that identifies firms aligned with an organization’s investment philosophy, governance structure, and operational needs. The search process does not end with the selection.

We support clients through transition and implementation because a successful OCIO relationship depends on more than investment performance. The operational details matter too, so we work with finance teams to make sure you receive the support you need from the OCIO. Leita works exclusively on behalf of institutional clients and provides independent advice focused on long-term partnership fit, governance, and decision-making.

An OCIO search consultant is an independent advisor that helps institutions select an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) or investment consulting partner. The best OCIO search consultants understand both the OCIO marketplace and the practical realities of how investment committees make decisions. They combine broad institutional investment experience with a deep understanding of investment governance, due diligence, and the operational realities of working with an OCIO. Rather than relying solely on RFP responses or marketing materials, an OCIO search consultant brings ongoing market intelligence and helps institutions evaluate investment philosophy, governance, operational capabilities, and long-term partnership fit. OCIO search consultants help institutions make important decisions with confidence and a clear understanding of the tradeoffs involved.

Selecting an OCIO is one of the most important investment decisions an investment committee makes, but most institutions only conduct a search occasionally. Investment committees, boards, and finance teams have limited time and may not know the full range of options available or the questions they should be asking. An experienced OCIO search consultant brings market knowledge, structure, and an objective perspective to the process. Search consultants help institutions diagnose what is working and what is not, identify appropriate OCIO candidates, manage due diligence, and maintain momentum through the many decisions required to complete a search. Institutions often engage an OCIO search consultant when they are considering a change, exploring the OCIO model for the first time, or simply want confidence that they are making an important decision thoughtfully and efficiently.

No. Leita works exclusively on behalf of institutional clients and receives no compensation from OCIO firms, investment managers, or placement agents. We do not sell data, licenses, or services to OCIOs. Our independence allows Leita to provide objective advice that is aligned solely with the interests of the fiduciaries we serve. Independence is fundamental to why Leita was built and how we serve our clients.

Leita works with a variety of mission-driven institutions, including:

• Healthcare Organizations

• Private foundations

• Community foundations

• Universities and colleges

• Independent schools

• Religious organizations

• Arts and cultural institutions

• Other nonprofit organizations

On occasion, we work with other institutional investors and family offices.

Leita was founded by one of the industry’s most experienced search consultants, after more than 100 searches convinced our founder that there was a better way to do this.

First, independence matters. Leita works exclusively on behalf of fiduciaries and receives no compensation from OCIO providers, investment managers, or placement agents. OCIO search is our sole focus. We do not sell research, databases, or subscription services, and we do not perform other types of searches (like custody or investment personnel).

Second, experience creates pattern recognition. Years spent meeting with OCIO providers and evaluating investment partnerships allow us to spend less time gathering basic information and more time helping clients evaluate the factors that drive successful long-term partnerships.

Third, our process was built from the ground up. We believe partnerships do not happen on paper, and successful searches require more than reviewing RFP responses. The process is designed to help committees use their time wisely, get to know firms earlier and better, and focus on the questions that matter most.

Finally, we believe successful OCIO partnerships go beyond quarterly meetings. Operations, implementation, and transition are important. We spend considerable time understanding how OCIOs work with CFOs and finance teams because those relationships matter. A successful partnership has to work well across the organization. These ideas come together in The Leita Lens™, our framework for evaluating OCIO partnerships. The Leita Lens reflects the experience and judgment that shape every search engagement. The goal is to help organizations build investment partnerships that deliver long-term value.

The Leita Lens™ is our framework for evaluating OCIO partnerships. Built from years of experience and shaped by our core value of curiosity, The Leita Lens reflects how we think about investment partnerships and the tradeoffs that define them. Markets evolve, firms evolve, and so does our understanding. We continually refine our framework through ongoing dialogue with OCIO providers and clients.

The Leita Lens incorporates investment philosophy, decision-making, governance, operations, organizational quality, and long-term partnership fit as well as more traditional OCIO analytics such as fees and performance. It helps committees move beyond RFPs and understand how firms actually operate. Every organization is different, and every OCIO has strengths and tradeoffs. There is no perfect OCIO. The Leita Lens is designed to help institutions understand those tradeoffs and make informed decisions with confidence.

Our framework guides every stage of the process, from due diligence and management meetings to operational reviews, decision-ready summaries, and transition support. It reflects the experience and judgment that shape every Leita engagement.

Leita performs searches for external investment partners such as OCIOs and investment consultants. Leita focuses exclusively on investment provider searches and does not perform searches for trust and custody services or internal investment staff.