The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. will host a virtual Signature Event on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. EST. David Rubenstein will interview Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO & President of Ariel Investments, LLC.
The interview is expected to cover, among other things, racial equity in the United States and corporate diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Ariel Investments is the first African American-owned investment management firm in the nation, and as Co-CEO, Mellody is responsible for management, strategic planning and growth for all areas of Ariel Investments outside of research and portfolio management. Additionally, she serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ariel Investment Trust—the company’s publicly traded mutual funds.
In February, Mellody co-founded the private asset management firm Ariel Alternatives with Leslie A. Brun. Its first initiative, Project Black, aims to scale sustainable minority-owned businesses and close the racial wealth gap.
Outside of Ariel, Mellody’s leadership has also been invaluable to corporate boardrooms across the nation. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Starbucks Corporation and is also a director of JPMorgan Chase.