The executive position responsible for a company's investment portfolios. The chief investment officer (CIO) usually oversees a team of professionals that have responsibilities such as managing and monitoring investment activity, managing pensions, working with external analysts and maintaining good investor relations. They will also develop short-term and long-term investment policies. For example, a CIO could be responsible for the investment activities of a university's endowment. They would report to the trustees, develop a strategic asset-allocation plan and make recommendations on investments or use of outside money managers. The role of the CIO is often combined with other areas of finance within a company and taken on by the chief financial officer (CFO). The corporate title CFO is seen much more often than the CIO.