CEO APPOINTED TO LEAD ALBERTA HERITAGE FUNDS GROWTH

CALGARY, AB, July 9, 2026 /CNW/ - The Board of Directors of the Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation (HFOC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Aarnoud van Weelderen as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation, effective July 1, 2026.

Mr. van Weelderen brings extensive leadership and execution experience in the financial services and commodities industry, with roles across interest rate and currency trading, investment management and commodities structuring. He most recently served as Senior Managing Director within Macquarie Group's Commodities & Global Markets division, and currently serves as a Director at Power Sustainable. His prior roles include Managing Director with J.P. Morgan's Global Commodities Group, Vice President with Goldman Sachs Group's Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities division and various roles within Goldman Sachs Group's Investment Management Division. Mr. van Weelderen holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business.

As CEO, Mr. van Weelderen will lead HFOC in providing independent and transparent oversight of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund and its related endowments; the Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, the Heritage Foundation for Science & Engineering Research and the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Endowment (together, the "Alberta Heritage Funds"). The current market value of the Alberta Heritage Funds is approximately $38 Billion.

The mandate of the HFOC is to maximize the risk-adjusted financial returns of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust for the benefit of future generations of Albertans, while maximizing the risk-adjusted financial returns of the endowments to provide impact and investment for Albertans today.

"The Board of the HFOC looks forward to working with Aarnoud to build upon the Premier's direction to renew and grow the Heritage Funds for the benefit of Alberta and Albertans – Investing, for Alberta." - Mr. Joe Lougheed, KC, Board Chair, Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation

"Alberta's government knows that a strong Heritage Savings Trust Fund means a stronger, more secure future for every Albertan and their children. This is an exciting step for the Heritage Fund, and with HFOC's strong independent governance now in place, we will continue working to grow the Fund and achieve our goal of reaching $250 billion by 2050" - Honourable Jason Nixon, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance

Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation (HFOC) is an Alberta Government Crown Corporation. HFOC was modelled in response to the commitments made by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith as set out in Renewing the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund (2025).

SOURCE Heritage Fund Opportunities Corporation

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