Get To Know Inatai | Investment Management Co.
Investment decisions are never neutral
About Inatai Investment Management Company
In February 2017, Kaiser Permanente acquired Group Health Cooperative and used the proceeds to fund Inatai Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to transform the balance of power to ensure equity and racial justice across Washington and beyond. Since opening our doors, we’ve been committed to aligning every choice we make as a foundation – including how we allocate resources – to our values in both action and word.
In the fall of 2021, Inatai formed Inatai Investment Management Company. The idea was to offer investment management services on a cost-sharing basis (rather than for profit) to partners with shared values and long-term commitments to improving people’s lives in Washington. By pooling our resources, we believe we can build scale together, advance each of our missions, and reduce investment costs for all.
Vision
At Inatai Investments Management Company, our vision is to compound our capital and further our equity principles by investing responsibly, building an impact investing program, fostering diverse investment talent, and managing capital on behalf of values-aligned partners.
Portfolio Manager Charlotte Zhang, in between CIO Peng Wang and Associate Portfolio Manager Julia Reilly, speaking to an investment manager in Seattle. Photo: Vishal Goklani
People over profit
A typical investment management company works for their clients based on a fee schedule. We offer investment management services at cost. Opting out of a profit-driven model means we’re free to choose investment options that make sense for our partners, not our bottom line.
Values-aligned
Market investments are never neutral. We consider both the earning potential and the values-alignment of every investment we make. Our partners can rest easy knowing their investments are sustainable for the long term and support, rather than undermine, their values.
CIO Peng Wang offers a gift of gratitude to former Chinook Nation Chairman Gary Johnson in Bay Center. Photo: Amiran White
Philosophy and approach
We are long-term investors who act in accordance with our mission and values. We believe that price matters. We believe in diversification and creating aligned relationships with high-integrity people. We are flexible and opportunistic. We value independent thinking.
Investment Operations Manager Habtamu Bekele shares his thoughts during a small group discussion at an all-team retreat in Bothell. Photo: John Lok
Cost-sharing model
Inatai’s cost-sharing model differs from a traditional investment model.
In a traditional investment model, clients pay a fixed fee for services regardless of the number of clients served. By using a cost-sharing model, our partners take on a pro-rata, or proportional, share of the investment management cost. As more partners participate, the cost decreases for everyone—even as total assets under management and community power increase.
Traditional investment companies are also profit-driven, meaning managers may be incentivized to prioritize company profits over clients’ best interests. Because our cost-sharing model does not yield profits or revenue for Inatai, we are free to focus on generating sustainable, long-term returns for our partners and for us.
Investment partners
Inatai aspires to form a “win-win” relationship with each of our partners. To do so, we’ve identified seven criteria to determine if the relationship will be beneficial for all involved:
- alignment in institutional values
- a focus on equity
- strong leadership and succession planning
- a long-term investment horizon
- tolerance for illiquidity
- a proper level of risk tolerance
- assets under management (AUM) size
In addition to these criteria, Inatai also assesses items regarding partners’ operational status, for instance, their location. Initially, Inatai’s ideal partners will be based in and serving the Pacific Northwest. These criteria reflect our best thinking now about selecting partner organizations. Over time, our framework will continue to evolve as we work to better identify “win-win” situations for Inatai and partners.
Investment board members Peter van Oppen and Cara Nakamura during a meeting in Seattle. Photo: Vishal Goklani
Meet the Investment team
We are a team of professional investors motivated to use our skills and expertise to build and manage capital for organizations advancing racial justice and equity.
We’re fighting for partners’ missions, not their fees.
Angie Corwin
Project Coordinator
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Bowei Gao
Investment Associate
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Charlotte Zhang
Portfolio Manager
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Farid Rasuli
Investment Operations Analyst
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Habtamu Bekele
Investment Operations Manager
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Julia Reilly
Associate Portfolio Manager
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Komal Sanklecha
Investment Operations Analyst
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Peng Wang
Chief Investment Officer
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