NEW YORK – 100 Women in Finance (‘100WF’), a global finance industry organization with more than 15,000 registered members, today announces that it will create an alliance with Black Women in Asset Management (‘BWAM’), a non-profit organization based in London that connects and empowers Black women working across the investment industry. This alliance will accelerate the shared goal of 100WF and BWAM to advance the careers of Black women professionals by offering new member enhancements for both organizations, including membership reciprocity arrangements, co-programming, cross-network referrals for public speaking opportunities designed to raise the visibility of Black women and promote diverse voices in the finance industry.
The partnership will also bring together new networks of expertise and enable the organizations to offer richer programming for their memberships. Since launching in 2019, BWAM has quickly become a valuable community for investment professionals, lawyers, consultants, administrators and other advisors in the asset management field. Through BWAM’s ongoing program of events, including networking dinners, panels on industry topics and workshops to build leadership skills, members are provided with opportunities to cultivate new relationships across the industry. Recent events have featured Black women who have founded and now lead investment funds, financial advisory firms and wealth management practices.
This alliance builds on 100WF’s efforts to achieve greater diversity and inclusion within its organization. In recent years, 100WF has expanded diversity within its governance and committee leadership, and among the finance industry experts featured in its education programming. A growing number of women of color are featured in the organization’s FundWomen and 100WFinTech visibility initiatives, which provide industry, media and business development exposure for female fund managers and senior FinTech professionals. Aligning with BWAM will provide 100WF with access to a new pipeline of women eligible to join these initiatives.
100WF CEO Amanda Pullinger stated, “Collaboration with Black Women in Asset Management offers a valuable opportunity for our collective members to expand their professional networks and to benefit from an education program reflecting diverse perspectives.” Ms. Pullinger further remarked, “At 100WF, we understand that the lived experiences of Black and African American women working in the finance industry are different – and routinely more challenging – than those of women in majority groups. I am certain that our alliance with Black Women in Asset Management will help us to better serve the interests and needs of our increasingly diverse, global membership.”
Jacqueline Taiwo, co-founder of Black Women in Asset Management and Associate General Counsel at TowerBrook Capital Partners, noted, “I am excited to work with 100 Women in Finance on visibility initiatives and joint programming. This partnership will enable BWAM’s members to benefit from a range of networking and public speaking opportunities that will support their career progression and help shine a spotlight on amazing Black women who are making incredible strides in the finance industry. BWAM is committed to providing resources and opportunities that enable Black women to achieve their fullest potential. By elevating under-represented talent, I believe we can help more Black women shape policy and perspectives, promoting gender and racial equality in finance.”
Ms. Taiwo’s co-founder, Mariam Akanbi, Senior Legal Counsel at ARCH Emerging Markets Partners Limited, further commented, “Taking into consideration the events of this year, the importance of highlighting the contributions made by our diverse members and the need to create level playing corporate eco-systems should not be overlooked. The collaboration with 100WF is an opportunity to spotlight these contributions to a wider audience and the cross-collateralization of 100WF and BWAM members through peer engagement at future events, I believe, will be mutually beneficial to all involved.”
The alliance has already produced referrals for industry speaking opportunities and shared planning toward a late-Fall 2020 series of roundtable seminar events on ESG Investing, FinTech and Wealth Management. Details of these events, including featured speakers, will be posted to 100WF’s website and BWAM’s website when available.
Questions about 100 Women in Finance may be directed to media@100women.org.
Questions about Black Women in Asset Management may be directed to info@bwam.network.
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.
About Black Women in Asset Management
Black Women in Asset Management brings together professionals in the asset management industry aligned around a common goal to advance and retain Black women leaders across all investment strategies. Launched in 2019, BWAM’s mission is to champion the positive impact of the talented Black women who work in asset management and provide the tools that will enable them to thrive. BWAM is supported by its founding sponsors, TowerBrook Capital Partners and Sidley Austin LLP.