Kamal Bhatia

President & CEO at Principal Asset Management

Speaker

Kamal Bhatia is president and chief executive officer of Principal Asset Management ® , the global investment management business of Principal Financial Group ® . He is responsible for setting strategy, delivering strong investment outcomes, and driving client growth across the firm’s global platform, overseeing $770 billion in assets under management (as of March 31, 2026), including the general account. Under hi s leadership, Principal Asset Management is focused on expanding access to differentiated investment solutions that support long -term retirement security and financial outcomes for in vestors around the world.

Bhatia previously served as global head of investments and currently is president of Principal Funds and chairman of the Principal Funds Board. His leadership spans public and private markets, with deep experience building investment capabilities that meet the evolving needs of institutional, retirement & pension , and individual investors across regions. Prior to joining Principal, Bhatia was CEO of OC Private Capital, a joint venture between OppenheimerFunds and the Carlyle Group, where he focused on private credit investing. He brings more than two decades of experience in investment solutions, business strategy, client engagement, and product development, having held senior leadership roles at OppenheimerFunds, TIAA, Mellon Asset Management, and Citigroup.

Bhatia is a CFA ® charterholder and earned a bachelor’s degree from IIT Kanpur and a master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis. He serves on boards in the U.S. and Europe and is a frequent industry voice on the role of global asset managers in advancing retir ement outcomes and financial well -being.