BORDER TO COAST APPOINTS PORTFOLIO MANAGER TO LEAD LOCAL INVESTMENT
Posted on September 22nd, 2026
Border to Coast Pensions Partnership the £120bn LGPS pool, has appointed a portfolio manager to lead its local investment programme on behalf of Partner Funds.
Luke Baker joined the pool’s private markets team on 1 September 2026 reporting to Head of Alternatives Ian Sandiford.
He brings more than 25 years of private markets investment experience from previous roles including Woodbourne Group, Tesco Pension Fund, Aviva Investors, and Grosvenor. His real estate experience includes delivering investments that created positive local impact through regional regeneration and development across commercial, living, healthcare, and hospitality sectors.
In the role, Baker will work closely with Partner Funds and strategic industry partners to deliver the ambition of a central local investment capability, supporting Partner Funds in implementing strategic local asset allocations.
“The Border to Coast partnership has delivered remarkable outcomes to date and I am excited to be joining the team in another pivotal year. I look forward to working with Partner Funds to build a local investment capability that will support long-term investment returns and deliver meaningful impact in the communities in which LGPS members live and work…”
Joe McDonnell, Chief Investment Officer, added: “Building a dedicated local investment capability is an important evolution of our private markets team and complements our current UK Opportunities strategy. Our ambition is to enable constructive discussions and working partnerships to make regional investment ambitions a success. Luke’s appointment is a real step forward in making this happen across our partnership, with the aim of benefiting regions from the border to coast of England.”
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