DAVID BLANCHETT, PH.D., CFA®, CFP®

David Blanchett, Ph.D., CFA®, CFP®, is the head of retirement research for Prudential Financial, Inc. and a portfolio manager for PGIM. In his role, Blanchett focuses on advancing innovative retirement solutions to help improve outcomes for workers and retirees. His dual responsibilities position him at the intersection of research and implementation, sharing insights and strategies that are helping to shape the future of  retirement planning for individuals and institutions.

As portfolio manager at PGIM, the global investment management business of Prudential, Blanchett is responsible for the portfolio management and investment strategy of PGIM RetireWell™ solutions, including target date and retirement spending solutions. He is also  one of the key architects of the PGIM RetireWell™ advice engine. 

Previously, Blanchett was head of retirement research at Morningstar Investment
Management LLC. He is also an adjunct professor of wealth management at The American College of Financial Services and a research fellow for the Alliance for Lifetime Income. He has also served on the executive committee for the Defined Contribution Institutional  Investment Association (DCIIA) and was a member of the ERISA Advisory Council (2018–2020). 

Blanchett has published over 100 papers in a variety of academic journals and is often featured across major publications and financial industry media. His research has received awards from the Academy of Financial Services, the Financial Analysts Journal, the  Financial Planning Association, the Investments & Wealth Institute (2024), the Journal of  Financial Planning and the Retirement Management Journal, among others. 

Blanchett holds a B.S. in finance and economics from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. in financial services from The American College of Financial Services, an MBA from The  University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Ph.D. in personal financial planning from Texas Tech University.