Brian Gibson, senior vice-president and head of public equities at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, has left to start his own investment firm, media reports say.

Bloomberg reports that his last day was yesterday. He joined Teachers’ in 1995.

Gibson developed a “relationship investing” approach that saw the fund take a large stake in a company—like Nexen or WestJet—that needed capital and advice to fund growth or solve a problem, according to The Globe and Mail’s website.

He plans to take the same type of approach when he starts up an independent money management firm in the coming months.

A successor for Gibson has not yet been named.

To comment on this story, email craig.sebastiano@rci.rogers.com.