Ted Mathas retired in 2022 as chief executive officer and chair of the board of New York Life after a 28-year career at the nation’s largest mutual life insurance company. Mathas served as the company’s 18th chief executive for 14 years and successfully led the organization through both the great recession of 2008-10 and the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his tenure, New York Life was recognized as the leading provider of both retail life insurance and annuities in America, tripled its assets under management to over $750 billion, held the highest possible ratings for financial strength, and was named by Fortune as the most admired company in the life insurance category. Mathas was the only CEO ever chosen to serve two separate terms as board chair of the American Council of Life Insurers.
Mathas currently is a senior advisor for Stone Ridge Holdings Group, providing mentorship and guidance to its executives and operating subsidiaries focused on alternative asset management, reinsurance and bitcoin, and he is championing the company’s efforts to transform retirement planning by making the benefits of longevity risk-pooling widely accessible to retirees in America.
He also serves as vice chair of the board of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Virginia School of Law Foundation. He was recently awarded an honorary doctorate from the AMNH Gilder Graduate School for his exemplary service and contributions to science advocacy, education and society as a philanthropist and business leader.
Mathas graduated with distinction with an A.B. from Stanford University. He received a J.D. from the University of Virginia, where he was a member of the Virginia Law Review and the Order of the Coif. Ted began his career as a litigation associate at Debevoise & Plimpton.