Koula Berlin

Chief Financial Officer & COO / Illinois State Board of Investment

Koula Berlin spent fifteen years as an executive at HFR Asset Management, LLC and Fund Solutions, LLC as Managing Director and President.  She spearheaded the growth and management of the $4.5 billion hedge fund platform and was responsible for all aspects of the company’s operations, including front office (operations, risk, and treasury), middle office (securities pricing, processing and settlement, cash and asset reconciliation, and margin/collateral management), and back office (portfolio accounting, daily NAV’s, fund accounting, audit, tax reporting, daily P & L, compliance and risk reporting).  Koula has a passion for building high impact teams that work together to drive international success.  In addition, she managed all the financials and operations for all the HFR companies and the CEO’s family office.   Her team successfully oversaw the launch of over 500 hedge funds, and multiple FOF’s with platforms in Bermuda and Ireland. 

Prior to HFR, she held leadership roles at Fortune Brands, Inc and Moore Business Forms.

She has served on the Board of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Lake County, Il.

Mrs. Berlin has an MBA from Lake Forest School of Management and a B.S. from Loyola University.