Overview

 



We are improving public trust in the global finance industry  
through our Fellows' leadership.

The Aspen Institute's Finance Leaders Fellowship develops a community of enlightened leaders to chart the course of the global finance industry. Fellows strengthen their companies' cultures, look for ways to improve system stability, and innovate to ensure global financial inclusion.

Using the Aspen Institute method of text-based dialogue, building a strong community of Fellows, and leveraging the Institute's commitment to high-integrity, action-oriented leadership, the program inspires selected Finance Fellows to consider values and perspectives necessary for effective, enlightened leadership in financeand in society at-large. Fellows also undertake a leadership venture of their own, designed to challenge themselves and advance the role of finance in society. See a list of all the Finance Leaders Fellows here.

The Fellowship Experience:

  • Engages Fellows in a thought-provoking journey of personal exploration and understanding of what their definition of "the good society" is
  • Forges a global network of finance leaders deeply committed to each other and the betterment of society
  • Encourages Fellows to reflect on the historical importance of finance in well-functioning societies and current challenges in the sector, inspiring them to play an active role in shaping its future

Pillars of the Fellowship

Developing Leaders

The Finance Leaders Fellows attend a series of four seminars where they reflect on their own role and responsibility as leaders. In each seminar, they discuss different themes: challenges of leadership, their role in creating the “good society,” complexities of leading in the global community, and legacy through leadership ventures.

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Leading during COVID-19
 

Building Community

The Fellowship encourages a community where Fellows challenge and support one another for life. These Fellows include senior or executive leaders in the broad finance ecosystem, from savers and users, to intermediates and stewards of capital. Finance Leaders Fellows are also part of the larger Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN), a world-wide community of successful, high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders committed to making the world a better place. 
Finance Leaders Community
AGLN Network
 

Taking Action

An integral part of the program is undertaking a Leadership Venture by each of the Fellows - a chance to put values into action. They aim to reconnect finance and society by charting the future course of the industry and using the power of their platforms in finance to address societal issues.

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Finance Leaders Fellowship News

Relevance
Announcing The 2023 Class Of The Finance Leaders Fellowship 262

In an era marked by financial crises and disruptive market events, the need for transformative change within the finance industry has become undeniable. The Finance Leaders Fellowship welcomes the 2023 Class as they embark on a two-year leadership journey to cultivate a new generation of industry frontrunners who not only excel in their fields but ...

Added by Jael Lewis
Blog Finance Leaders Fellowship
06/08/2023
Announcing The 2021 Class Of The Finance Leaders Fellowship 254

Representing a diverse range of global perspectives and sectors within the finance ecosystem, the 23 leaders of the 2021 Class are committing to a two-year fellowship that will challenge them to reflect on their roles and responsibilities as finance leaders and to cultivate a deeper understanding of values-driven leadership in practice. The ...

Added by Ashley Sillaro
Blog Finance Leaders Fellowship
07/19/2021
Making Advancements In Gender Diversity And Equality Across The Financial Services Industry | Finance Leaders Fellows Q&A 252

In honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, Kara Gustafson , Executive Director of the Aspen Institute's Finance Leaders Fellowship (FLF), sat down with four FLF Fellows who are making advancements in gender diversity and equality across the financial services industry. From helping women to successfully launch their own ...

Added by Samantha Cherry
Blog Finance Leaders Fellowship
03/25/2021
The Aspen Institute Names Kara Gustafson New Executive Director Of The Finance Leaders Fellowship 251

The Aspen Institute Names Kara Gustafson New Executive Director Of The Finance Leaders Fellowship Gustafson joins the Institute from Palais Impact Advisors and Goldman Sachs. Contact: Jon Purves Senior Media Relations Manager The Aspen Institute Jon.Purves@aspeninstitute.org Washington, DC, January 26, 2021 — The Aspen Institute announced ...

Added by Ashley Sillaro
Blog Finance Leaders Fellowship
01/26/2021

The Fellowship

Fellows must be nominated by a third party and selected by the Aspen Institute to participate in the program. Each class will consist of 22 Fellows who will participate in four seminars of 5-7 days each under the guidance of the skilled moderators of the Institute. Fellows must commit to attending all 4 seminars in their entirety, for a total of approximately 26 days of seminar meetings. They also must commit to designing and launching a required leadership venture of their own design to advance the role of finance in society. The Fellows' participation will be without cost to them or their organizations, with the exception of their travel costs and any incidental expenses they incur. Limited financial assistance may be provided for travel on a case by case basis.

Nominate a Fellow

Nomination Information

Ideal candidates are senior or executive business leaders in the broad finance ecosystem, from savers and users, to intermediates and stewards of capital. Learn more about becoming a candidate by reviewing the guidelines and watching videos of Fellows sharing their experiences.
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FAQs

Are you a nominator or candidate with questions about the process? Read our FAQs. 
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Fellows in Program

Finance Leaders Fellowship
CEO and Investor, 1803 Fund

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Co-founder/Director of Business Development, Paga

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Global Head of Sustainability, BNP Paribas Asset Management

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Founding Partner & Managing Director, Jungle Ventures

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Editor-in-Chief, POLITICO

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Senior Advisor, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Finance Leaders Fellowship
CCO, chief credit officer, head of business credit division, Mercantile Discount Bank

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Executive Vice-President, Center for Community Self-Help

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Managing Director

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Partner/ CFO, Wildflower Schools

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Head of India, WhatsApp, Meta

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Head of Investment Research Analytics and Implementation, Bridgewater Associates

Finance Leaders Fellowship
CFO, General Mills

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Head of Banking and Lending, BNY Mellon Wealth Management

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Ambassador to the European Union, Government of Canada

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Chief Financial Officer, Ripple

Finance Leaders Fellowship
President & CEO, Capital Impact Partners

Finance Leaders Fellowship
CEO, Bertelsmann Investments

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Founder, CEO, Comer Capital Group LLC & Alterity Capital

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Group Finance Director, Swiss Reinsurance Company

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Co-Founder, 7Qubes, Prospera

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Senior Advisor, McKinsey & Company

Finance Leaders Fellowship
General Counsel, UTIMCO - The University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Management Company

Finance Leaders Fellowship
Director, Sphere Holdings

About the Finance Leaders Fellowship

The 2007-2008 financial crisis that centered on the U.S. banking and credit sec¬tors led to devastating global economic and human dislocation and an erosion of societal trust in the finance industry. The negative societal outcomes from some of the industry’s unsustainable business practices leading up to the credit crisis highlighted the important role that the industry plays in society, in this case as a driver of instability. 

Yet over time, the finance industry has also been a force for good, providing many people a shot at prosperity, progress, and stability with its innovations such as pensions, mutual funds, savings accounts, mortgage credit and insurance. This was the paradox that the Aspen Institute’s Henry Crown Fellow Ranji Nagaswami was contemplating when she founded the program with Christopher Varelas and the CFA Institute in 2016. 

The Fellowship’s founding executive director, Jennifer Simpson, built a strong foundation over the first five years. With 82 Fellows operating in 20 countries at the time of the program’s leadership succession, Fellows were committed to each other in service of making impact, were taking bold action to improve trust in the industry, and had begun to work collectively as a Fellowship on key societal issues leveraging the finance industry. 

CFA Institute         Invesco QQQ

The Team

Senior Program Associate, Aspen Institute Finance Leaders Fellowship

Senior Program Manager, Finance Leaders Fellowship, Aspen Institute

For more information about the Fellowship, contact Ashley Sillaro