GIRLS WHO INVEST FOUNDER, SEEMA R. HINGORANI, AWARDED THE CHEVALIER OF THE NATIONAL ORDER OF THE LÉGION D’HONNEUR

NEW YORK, APRIL 27, 2021 – Girls Who Invest (GWI), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in portfolio management and executive leadership in the asset management industry, is pleased to announce that Seema R. Hingorani, Girls Who Invest’s founder, has received the Chevalier of the National Order of the Légion d’Honneur. The Légion d’Honneur, which was established in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte, is France’s highest order of merit for military and civilians and was awarded in recognition of Ms. Hingorani’s tireless efforts to increase gender diversity within the investment management space in the United States.

“I’m honored and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition from the French government whose leadership has made achieving gender equality a top priority,” said Ms. Hingorani. “When Girls Who Invest launched in 2015, we knew we were breaking new ground in trying to change the face of investing. And we ended up being so encouraged by how much our mission and efforts were embraced and supported along the way by the leadership of the asset management industry. I will remember and treasure this day for the rest of my life and work hard to live up to everything this honor signifies.”

Ms. Hingorani started her career in 1996 and has served in a variety of senior investment roles within the industry, including Chief Investment Officer of the NYC Retirement Systems. She is currently a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management.

“We are incredibly proud that Seema has been recognized for her substantial efforts to improve gender diversity and inclusion within our industry,” said Dan Simkowitz, Head of Investment Management at Morgan Stanley. “Through her work at Girls Who Invest and now at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, she continues to have a tangible impact on asset management and finance more broadly.”

Ms. Hingorani founded Girls Who Invest in 2015 and, thanks to her tremendous leadership, more than 500 students from U.S. universities and colleges have participated in their flagship Summer Intensive Program, 80% of whom have gone on to pursue careers in finance. Moreover, the Summer Intensive Program alumni population includes 70% women of color and 20% historically under-represented minorities. Building on this momentum, Girls Who Invest is expanding diversity efforts to spread opportunities and industry access even further, and has pledged to have at least 25% of their Summer Intensive Program scholars come from historically underrepresented communities by 2025.

With the tangible impact of the Summer Intensive Program on the industry’s talent pipeline and strong demand from applicants, Girls Who Invest then launched an online, fully subsidized program that has served more than 350 additional women.

“On behalf of the entire Girls Who Invest community, including the over 850 alumni Seema has supported day in and day out, we applaud Seema for this amazing recognition,” said Katherine Jollon Colsher, CEO of Girls Who Invest. “To say that Seema’s an inspiration to women everywhere would be an understatement that doesn’t fully encapsulate the true impact she’s had on the investment management industry. In just a few short years, she’s helped shine a light on the need and importance for greater diversity and has sparked an industry-wide dialogue that has only gained steam as time goes on. I am continually reminded of how special of a person she is, and it’s so nice to see her receive the recognition she so thoroughly deserves.”

Ms. Hingorani received her award at an official medal ceremony at the French Consulate in New York City on April 14.

About Girls Who Invest
Girls Who Invest is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing gender diversity and inclusion in investment management with a focus on growing the pipeline of women in frontline investing positions. They accomplish this through education, mentoring, internships, and a supportive community. The organization’s flagship Summer Intensive Program enables college students to explore investment management careers through four weeks of free educational training with top university professors followed by a six-week paid internship at one of more than 100 leading investment management firms in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. Scholars can also apply for Girls Who Invest’s fully subsidized, self-directed Online Intensive Program. In addition, all scholars receive support and career guidance from a community of partners, mentors, and alumni. Girls Who Invest’s vision is for 30% of the world’s investable capital to be managed by women by 2030. For more information, visit www.girlswhoinvest.org.

Media contacts:
GWI@waterandwall.com