NEW YORK 100 Women in Finance (‘100WF’), a global finance industry organization of 15,000 members, today announces that Ms. Valerie S. Grant, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager – Responsible Investing at AllianceBernstein, will receive its 2020 North America Industry Leadership Award at its 100WF New York Virtual Gala on November 11, 2020. The Award is presented annually in recognition of exemplary professional talent, business ethics, and passion for investing that further define and advance the industry’s standards of excellence.
Based in New York, Ms. Grant is a Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at AllianceBernstein, where she manages Responsible US Equities, a US large-cap core portfolio with measurable environmental, social and governance (ESG) outcomes. She also leads AllianceBernstein’s Equity ESG Research Committee and serves on the firm’s Proxy Voting and Governance Committee.
A thought leader in the field of responsible investing, Grant frequently provides on-air commentary for CNBC, Bloomberg News and other news outlets. She has been a featured presenter at numerous conferences and her article “The Mosaic Theory in Responsible Investing” will be published in late 2020 by Palgrave Macmillan in Values at Work: Sustainable Investing and ESG Reporting, edited by Daniel Esty of Yale Law School and Todd Cort of the Yale School of Management. She is a member of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards Advisory Group, which advises the SASB on ESG issues that should be considered in the standards development process. Ms. Grant holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was a George F. Baker Scholar. She was also a Rotary Foundation Scholar at the University of Zimbabwe and is a CFA charter holder.
100WF’s CEO Amanda Pullinger noted, “For nearly two decades, 100WF has celebrated extraordinary female finance industry leaders. Our membership community is thrilled to recognize Valerie – a global leader in ESG investing and visible role model for young professionals – with our 2020 North America Industry Leadership Award.”
“AllianceBernstein congratulates Valerie on being this year’s recipient of the North America Industry Leadership award. This well-deserved honor is a testament to Valerie’s strong investment expertise, thought leadership and dedication to responsible investing,” said Seth Bernstein, President and CEO of AllianceBernstein. “Our firm strives to cultivate a dynamic, diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees can build their careers with us. We are appreciative to 100 Women in Finance for recognizing Valerie’s distinguished career and for working tirelessly to empower women in the finance industry.”
A global list of 100WF’s past honorees can be found here.
100WF’s members are similarly pleased with Ms. Grant’s selection as the honoree. “The presentation of 100WF’s North America Industry Leadership is the beating heart of 100WF’s New York Gala. As a group, we shine a spotlight on a senior female investor and are collectively inspired by her professional excellence, wisdom and the career success she has earned,” commented Alexandra Burban, head of mergers and acquisitions at Standard Industries and chair of the 2020 New York Virtual Gala Committee.
In an announcement released earlier this month, 100WF stated that the organization will jointly recognize Ms. Carla Harris and Ms. Alice Vilma with 100 Women’s Effecting Change Award. Ms. Harris and Ms. Vilma co-head the Morgan Stanley Multicultural Innovation Lab, an accelerator of early stage technology and technology-enabled startups led by women and multicultural founders.
A Virtual Gala with Real-World Impact
In addition to celebrating the achievements of industry leaders, the 2020 New York Virtual Gala will raise funds the 100 Women Impact Collective. This 100WF-designed initiative accelerates progress toward the organization’s Vision for 30×40, in which women will perform 30% of investment and executive team roles in the finance industry by 2040. The 100 Women Impact Collective is a successor effort to 100WF’s Investing in the Next Generation initiatives and affords greater focus and funding for program partners that create pathways into the finance industry for pre-career female students of diverse backgrounds, globally.
Managed by 100WF, the 100 Women Impact Collective is a collaborative effort among the global finance industry, non-profit partner organizations and social enterprises to demystify careers in the finance industry, to render these careers more appealing and accessible to young women, and to prepare female students with necessary skills and inspiration via relationships with relevant industry role models.
Sponsorship and Individual Ticketing
Inquiries about corporate sponsorship opportunities are welcomed by the Gala Committee. 100WF additionally announces the availability of “Producer” Virtual Gala tickets for individuals who wish to be recognized for supporting the 100 Women Impact Collective with a donation of $1,000 USD. Individual event viewing passes are also available. Please refer to 100WF’s website for updated information.
To make a donation to 100WF’s global Impact efforts, please act here.
About 100 Women in Finance
100 Women in Finance’s more than 15,000 members strengthen the global finance industry by empowering women to achieve their professional potential at each career stage. Its members inspire, equip and advocate for a new generation of industry leadership, in which women and men serve as investment professionals and executives, equal in achievement and impact. Through Education, Peer Engagement and Impact, the organization furthers the progress of women who have chosen finance as a career and enables their positive influence over pre-career young women.
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