Movers & Shakers: Rosanne Kropp, Allianz Investment Management

Rosanne Kropp is developing and executing U.S. investment strategies for managing more than $100 billion in assets as vice president of investment strategies for the Allianz Investment Management division of Minneapolis-based Allianz Life.

Kropp leads the asset liability management, strategic and tactical asset allocation and alternative investment teams, such as financing toll roads or utility projects.

"I've spent my career on both the asset side and the liability side of the balance sheet," Kropp said. "I started off as an actuary … and spent some time doing traditional portfolio management picking individual securities. This role is an interesting blend between the two of those things."

Kropp also is overseeing a process of determining where to position the portfolio over the next three to five years with an emphasis on factor-based investing to achieve diversification benefits, capital efficiencies and yield enhancement.

Kropp previously was senior vice president, head of portfolio management at Genworth Financial in Stamford, Conn., managing a $70 billion portfolio. She also was senior portfolio manager for Delaware Investments in Philadelphia and an actuary with Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co. and Allstate Life Insurance Co.

Kropp has a business administration degree in actuarial science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Q: What appealed to you about joining Allianz Life?

Q: What are your goals?

A: The No. 1 goal is to make sure that you can deliver on those promises to your policyholders. The day-to-day tactical goals always have to tie back to that. When I think about what my top priority is in relation to that, I think about the alternatives team. Those types of assets generally will add some yield to the portfolio in a way that diversifies it and adds value overall.

Q: Are alternative investments a new area for Allianz Life?

A: It by definition is a little bit new for Allianz because alternatives includes some new asset classes. It's been a push for us in the U.S. as well as our global partners over in Munich to try to expand on new innovative ideas that are in the market. Infrastructure debt is one of the examples of a place that we've spent a lot of time and a lot of focus to expand our footprint because it's a safe, stable asset.