Meet the Five Indian Americans in Barron’s 2023 list of ‘100 Most Influential Women in US Finance’

(July 10, 2023) Indian-origin women have made remarkable strides and significant contributions in the field of finance in the United States. With their exceptional skills, knowledge, and determination, they have achieved prominence and played pivotal roles in shaping the country’s financial industry. From leading multinational corporations to pioneering entrepreneurial ventures, these women have demonstrated their expertise and leadership in various domains, including investment banking, asset management, corporate finance, and research. Their achievements not only showcase their individual success but also inspire and pave the way for future generations of Indian-origin women in finance. Global Indian explores the noteworthy accomplishments of five Indian-origin women leaders who have been recognized in Barron’s 2023 list of the 100 Most Influential Women in US Finance. 

Anu Aiyengar 

Global Head, Mergers and Acquisitions, JP Morgan 

“When they are young, help girls think about financial literacy, get familiar with the financial lexical and the language so that these words don’t sound intimidating. Women are very good at providing advice, listening and caring, and finally those are the human elements that are required to be a successful financial advisor, Anu said in an interview.  

Anu Aiyengar

As a finance professional she has played a pivotal role in some of the most significant deals on Wall Street. She is the first woman and person of colour to take up her current role at JP Morgan. Anu actively contributes to various initiatives, serving on the steering committee of ‘Women on the Move’ at JP Morgan. She also holds positions as a board trustee at Smith College and as a board member of Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing professional attire for women. Born in India, Anu moved to the United States during her teenage years to pursue her education at Smith College, where she earned a BA in economics. She did her MBA at Vanderbilt University. 

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Rupal Bhansali  

Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager, Global Equities, Ariel Investments 

“I was exposed to the word ‘money’ at a very young age because we didn’t have it, and I learned then that the language of money is accounting. I was very fortunate that in my school when people were learning additional languages like French, I chose to learn accounting and ever since I have been speaking the language of money,” said Rupal in an interview with CNBC-TV18. In her role as CIO and portfolio manager Rupal is at the helm of international and global equity strategies at Ariel Investments. She oversees the global research efforts and manages multi-billion-dollar portfolios of the organisation. She also serves as a co-manager for the global concentrated strategy of the organisation.  

Rupal Bhansali

Throughout her career, which began in 1989, Rupal has held various roles at different financial services firms. She joined Ariel Investments in 2011 after spending a decade at MacKay Shields, where she held the positions of senior managing director, portfolio manager, and head of international equities. Prior to that, she spent five years at Oppenheimer Capital, where she managed international and global equity portfolios and later became the co-head of International Equities. In addition to her job, Rupal contributes her expertise in advisory capacities in different institutions like being among the board of directors for the 100 Women in Finance Global Association. She pursued her bachelors and masters in finance from the University of Mumbai and went on to do an MBA in finance from University of Rochester, US. 

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Meena Lakdawala-Flynn  

Partner and Co-Head, Global Private Wealth Management, Goldman Sachs Group 

 “One of the biggest wealth demographic shifts that we are seeing is that women are earning and managing more money than before, and thus there is a shift in the focus of the wealth management companies to cater to the requirements of female clients much more than before,” Meena said in an interview with Bloomberg. She oversees a global team of financial advisors at her organisation to strategically leverage the firm’s extensive capabilities to assist clients in achieving their comprehensive wealth management objectives.  

Meena Lakdawala-Flynn

Beyond her responsibilities within private wealth management, she also serves as Co-Lead of the Goldman Sachs’ Family Office initiative in the Americas. Additionally, she also holds positions in key committees, including the Goldman Sachs partnership committee, the Goldman Sachs firmwide client and business standards committee, and the Goldman Sachs global inclusion and diversity committee. She is actively contributing as an investment champion for Launch with GS, which is Goldman Sachs’ commitment of $500 million to invest in companies and investment managers led by diverse leadership. A Texas native who now lives in New York, Meena has a bachelor’s degree in economics from The George Washington University. 

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Sonal Desai

Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton  

Sonal became the first woman chief investment officer in Franklin Templeton’s history in 2018 to oversees $137 billion of assets. She joined the firm in 2009 after working for IMF, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and Thames River Capital. At Franklin Templeton’s Fixed Income division, Sonal oversees various teams working for municipal, corporate credit, floating rate, multisector, global (including emerging markets), and money market fixed income. Additionally, she actively serves as a portfolio manager for several strategies such as Core Plus, Strategic Income, Total Return, Low Duration, Global Absolute Return, and Global Aggregate Fixed Income. 

Sonal Desai

As a member of Franklin Resources’ Executive Committee, Sonal is part of a select group of top leaders within the company who play a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s overall strategy. Moreover, she contributes her expertise to the firm’s management and investment committees. Her academic background includes a BA in economics from Delhi University and a Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University, US. 

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Savita Subramanian  

Head of US Equity and Quantitative Strategy, Bank of America (BofA)  

At BofA she serves as the head of environmental, social and Governance (ESG) research, as well as the head of US equity and quantitative strategy. Her role entails recommending sector allocations for equities in the United States, providing forecasts for major US indices, and developing and promoting the firm’s quantitative equity strategy to both institutional and individual clients. Having joined the firm in 2001, Savita has consistently earned recognition in the institutional investor survey, ranking as an esteemed analyst for the past nine years.  

Savita

Prior to her tenure at BofA, she served as an analyst at Scudder Kemper Investments in New York and San Francisco. She frequently shares her insights in media and is a sought-after guest speaker at financial conferences. In addition, she is associated with various organizations like UCLA Mathematics & Finance program, Chicago Quantitative Alliance, the Society of Quantitative Analysts, and Women on Wall Street. Born and raised in San Francisco Savita earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California with a double major in mathematics and philosophy. She further pursued an MBA with a concentration in finance from Columbia University. “It’s almost natural to me when I look back that I ended up in this discipline,” Savita said. “I can use the math and analytical tools as the foundation, and then the philosophy and art are the more explorative side—that informs how to add in the qualitative elements that are really hard to model, like politics or investor psychology,” she said in an interview with Barron’s. 

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