With a career in financial services spanning over two decades and deep expertise in alternative investments and pension fund oversight, Brian Williamson plays a key role in shaping Avangrid’s (NYSE: AGR) modern benefits and retirement programs. Williamson, CFA, Director of Benefits and Retirement Programs, offers a unique mix of strategic vision, regulatory expertise, and investment skill, earning trust as a leader in securing employee benefits and long-term retirement wellbeing.
His professional journey began in hedge fund research and alternative investments. For over 14 years at EACM Advisors, he honed a comprehensive expertise in manager sourcing, performance analysis, and investment due diligence. Williamson’s analytical precision and deep knowledge of relative value, event-driven, credit, private equity, macro, and equity long/short strategies made him an invaluable member of the firm’s global hedge fund research team. He played a key role in expanding EACM’s proprietary hedge fund database by over 600 percent, while also directly contributing to investment decisions that shaped the firm’s fund of hedge fund portfolios.
Williamson’s expertise in alternative investments and quantitative analysis, combined with his CFA designation, has been key to his success in the retirement benefits field. Joining Avangrid in 2019, he quickly progressed through increasingly strategic roles within the company’s retirement programs. Beginning as a Senior Investment Analyst, he managed compliance, internal controls, and benefit plan design initiatives. Williamson’s attention to actuarial funding valuations, audit procedures, and plan data reconciliation highlighted his commitment to detail and governance.
By 2023, he was appointed Manager of Retirement Programs and Investments. In this role, Williamson oversaw the operational and investment components of Avangrid’s retirement plans. From contribution strategy and de-risking initiatives to plan changes and vendor management, his contributions were crucial in maintaining operational continuity, employee satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. He also played a key role in supporting union negotiations and internal rate case testimony, underscoring his versatility across financial and HR functions. In October 2024, Williamson was promoted to Director of Benefits and Retirement Programs, where he now leads a comprehensive, enterprise-level benefits strategy. He ensures Avangrid’s pension and retirement offerings remain competitive, cost-effective, and compliant with complex regulatory frameworks, including ERISA, IRS, and DOL guidelines. Simultaneously, he champions innovation in benefits management, supporting digital transformation initiatives such as SAP benefits module management and ensuring seamless integration of systems and data. Williamson’s investment background is particularly critical in his current role. He oversees the selection, implementation, monitoring, and liquidation of investment managers, ensuring adherence to fiduciary policies and the goals of the investment and risk management committees. This supports plan sustainability and helps mitigate financial risks across Avangrid’s retirement portfolios.
Under his leadership, Avangrid has benefited from a more robust, employee-centric retirement ecosystem. Williamson actively mentors his team, prioritizing staff development and efficient resource utilization. His extensive work in departmental budgeting, vendor contract optimization, and benefits governance strengthens Avangrid’s position in the highly competitive utilities sector. His collaborative work with legal teams, actuaries, consultants, and external auditors further ensures that Avangrid’s benefits programs are resilient, transparent, and aligned with corporate goals. Williamson bridges the often-siloed worlds of finance and human resources by translating investment complexity into actionable HR and financial strategies.
Williamson exemplifies the next generation of retirement program leadership with a unique perspective rooted in investment rigor and employee welfare. At Avangrid, his contributions are more than administrative—they are strategic, forward-looking, and essential to the company’s ability to attract and retain top talent in a changing energy landscape. As companies prioritize employee wellbeing and financial security, Williamson’s work sets a standard for innovation, compliance, and fiduciary excellence in benefits leadership.
