NEW YORK, NY – May 2, 2024 – 100 Women in Finance (100WF), the global leader advancing gender equity in the finance industry, is pleased to announce the Board of Directors has appointed Debbie McLean as Interim Executive Director.
“Debbie is a known and highly regarded industry leader with a passion for gender equity and a demonstrated track record for creating impact,” said Carole K. Crawford, CFA, 100 Women in Finance Board Chair. “She brings a wealth of experience and operational leadership, and we are thrilled to have her on board to help us achieve Vision 30/40.”
Debbie is the former President of the CAIA Foundation and its Global Head of DEI, where she oversaw the charitable arm of a global, member-driven association representing finance professionals in more than 100 countries. She was instrumental in refocusing the Foundation’s efforts on dismantling barriers to inclusivity, alongside developing and executing the CAIA Association’s DEI framework.
During her 12-year tenure at CAIA, Debbie also served as Managing Director of Global Relations, where she empowered the team to achieve a 3X increase in membership. As Global Head of Chapters, Debbie led CAIA’s community of 200+ member volunteers across 35 chapters, expanding the global chapter network by 300% across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific regions.
“This role is a rare opportunity not only to leverage my experience, but more importantly, to be part of the largest, most influential global community dedicated to the advancement of women in finance,” said Ms. McLean. “That’s incredibly exciting to me, and I could not think of a more extraordinary way, at such an important time, to help impact the future of our profession.”
Debbie has held senior leadership positions in the financial services, corporate, nonprofit, and higher education sectors, excelling in stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and strategic partnership development. In senior leadership roles at Mount Holyoke College and Smith College, she secured multi-million-dollar endowment funding and scholarships that broaden access for female students in need.
Debbie will provide day-to-day leadership for the 100WF team and support the Board of Directors’ strategic plan for growth and innovation. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and studied DEI leadership at Northwestern University.
About 100 Women in Finance
100 Women in Finance’s guiding principle, Vision 30/40 is a goal for women to occupy 30% of senior investment roles and executive committee positions by 2040. 100 Women in Finance strengthens 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. For more information, please visit www.100women.org.