Darren Spencer

Director, Client Portfolio Manager
Alternative Investments

Bachelor of Economics, Flinders University, 1995


Darren Spencer is a client portfolio manager, alternative investments for Russell Investments. Based in San Diego, Darren is responsible for working with Russell’s asset management clients in North America to develop and implement alternative investment solutions.

Darren joined Russell Investments n January 2011, and until January 2014, was responsible for directing the development and implementation of alternative investment strategies for Russell’s consulting clients in North America.

Prior to joining Russell, Darren worked as a director for Dorchester Capital Advisors since September 2008.

From March 2003 through September 2008, Darren was global head of alternative investments at Aon Investment Consulting in Chicago. In that role he was responsible for the development of Aon’s alternative investment research and consulting platform. He was the primary architect of Aon’s alternative investment research process and primary consultant on alternative investing for Aon’s North American consulting clients.

Prior to relocating to Chicago, Darren was based in Sydney, Australia where he was a co-founder of Aon’s investment consulting practice in Australia.

Darren has extensive global experience in alternative investment manager research as well as the implementation of alternative investments into client portfolios across a broad range of strategies, including: hedge funds, private equity, infrastructure and real estate.


The power of a fund-of-funds approach in private markets

July 2023
We strongly believe in an institutional fund-of-funds approach to achieve consistently strong performance in private markets. Learn why.

Private markets survey: how are managers tackling value creation in the challenging and uncertain market environment?

February 2023
In late 2022 we surveyed 32 firms, representing $1.6 trillion in total assets, from across the universe of private markets strategies on key investment themes and where they are finding the greatest opportunities and risks.