New on the Job: Eric W. Doppstadt, Chief Investment Officer, Ford Foundation, in New York

Background: Mr. Doppstadt, 49, started as a lawyer for Ford’s investment team 20 years ago.

Education: Earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Chicago and law degree from New York University Law School.

Why he was hired: Ford wanted a familiar hand in control of its $9.6-billion in assets, says Luis A. Ubiñas, Ford’s chief executive.

Salary: $600,000

His agenda: Mr. Doppstadt says he has never faced a more challenging investment environment. The foundation’s assets have declined $1.5-billion since September 2008. (For more on his investment plans, go to http://philanthropy.com/extras)

What he’s reading: The American, by Henry James