Gender Smart | February 24, 2020

Impact investors outperform on gender diversity in asset management

Dennis Price
ImpactAlpha Editor

Dennis Price

ImpactAlpha, Feb. 24 – Impact investors are outperforming asset management overall on gender diversity. That’s the standout finding from a Russell Reynolds Associates analysis of 360 decision-makers at 76 leading impact investing firms. The firms, with an average of $382 million in impact assets under management, have nearly 40% women in senior leadership positions, compared to only 4% in the broader financial management industry. 

  • Talent wars. ImpactAlpha’s What’s Next series explored new ways to develop talent and build investment teams to reshape global finance. A key takeaway: “Broaden the talent pool.” Competition for investor capital means competition for talent as well. “Asset management firms can set themselves apart by aggressively investing in human capital,” wrote Flat World Partners’ Kate Starr. “A diverse, multiskilled investment team can mean the difference between winning new mandates and suffering continued outflows of capital.” See also, “Training grounds for the next generation of impact talent,” and “Driving impact-career alpha.”