Principal Financial Group Appoints Kathleen Kay As Its CIO

By CIOReview | Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Kathleen Kay joins Principal as CIO to lead the company’s global technology and digital strategies.

FREMONT, CA: Principal Financial Group announces the appointment of Kathleen Kay as its new Chief Information Officer. Kay was a former chief information officer for Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E). She succeeds Gary Scholten, chief information officer, and chief digital officer, who previously announced his retirement effective June 2, after 40 years of service. As chief information officer, Kay will be responsible for the global technology and digital strategies of Principal and report to Houston.

Principal believes that Kathleen will bring a wealth of digital and IT experience to the company, which is essential to helping its businesses adapt and to serve the evolving needs of its customers around the world. With the leadership positions she’s held across several industries, Kay is well-versed in today’s technological capabilities and understands the significance of aligning IT and business strategies with future technology needs. Her potential to build and navigate robust relationships with internal and external partners will help Principal drive innovation across the organization, and the company is looking forward to her carrying on Gary’s legacy of nurturing strong IT talent.

Prior to Principal, Kay headed PG&E’s information technology (IT) business, including its mission-critical systems and the development of technology strategy, infrastructure, and architecture. Kay also held several IT leadership positions with General Motors, Comerica, and SunTrust. Kay completed her Master of Science in Engineering Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Wayne State University. Kay will be based out of the Principal headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa.

Principal supports companies around the world to build, protect, and advance their financial well-being through retirement, insurance, and asset management technologies. The company’s team is passionate about assisting clients of all income and portfolio sizes to achieve their goals.