Kristen Steigele
Head of Business Development
As head of business development for First Light, Kristen Steigele leads the firm’s business development and investor relations efforts, with responsibility for cultivating new investor relationships and deepening engagement with First Light’s existing clients.
Steigele has more than 20 years of experience in asset management, with expertise spanning institutional business development, investor relations, client strategy and investment management operations. Prior to joining First Light, she served as chief operating officer and chief compliance officer of 8 Knots Management, a healthcare-focused market neutral hedge fund. As the firm’s second employee, Steigele was responsible for helping scale the business from approximately $150 million to $1 billion in assets under management across commingled funds and separately managed accounts. She led the firm’s capital raising and investor relations efforts, raising approximately $780 million from a diversified investor base, while also overseeing the development of the firm’s operational and compliance infrastructure.
Previously, Steigele spent more than 15 years at Allianz Global Investors in senior institutional client and distribution roles. In her final role at AllianzGI, she led a team of senior relationship managers supporting more than $30 billion in sub-advisory assets and managed relationships with some of the firm’s largest strategic partners. During her tenure, Steigele was selected for several of Allianz’s global leadership development programs, including #SheLeads, Advancing Women in Leadership and the Global Development Program. These programs included international leadership training, global projects and assignments, and collaboration with colleagues and senior executives across Allianz’s global organization. Earlier in her career, Steigele worked in hedge fund investor relations at Bear Stearns Asset Management. Steigele earned a bachelor of science degree in marketing and international business, with a minor in Italian studies, from Manhattan University.
Marketing & Client Services: