Alan Mason’s Post

 “I'm excited to be representing Men for Inclusion at the upcoming Diversity Project - Investment Industry Annual Event, #WhatWorks on November 17th at UBS! Join me as I discuss 'Accountability – addressing poor behaviour in our industry' with my fellow panellists Helena Morrissey, Tamsin Webster, and Saira Farooq. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dUMbXUt4 #WhatWorks #DiversityAndInclusion"

As the year 2023 nears its end, I look back on my lessons learned and one of many shines through brightly, that I'd like to share with you. Lesson learned: be a responsible role model - it adds great value to our future and planet. I was privileged to be invited by our parent company BNY Mellon Investment Management, London office, partnered with the Inspiring Girls UK, a charity, to take part in this inspirational speed networking event to break down gender stereotypes and empower girls aged 11-16yo. I truly believe that if you can see it - you can be it, and it warmed my heart seeing the spark in the eyes of those young girls, who were learning about an array of opportunities they have available in their future should they joined financial services industry, and, even more, learning about various backgrounds that their role models, my amazing colleagues at BNY Mellon, come from. Standing in front of them and having a real life conversation meant so much for these girls, and also myself. It reminded me, how important it is to be a responsible role model for our next generation, inspire people to reach their dreams and support them, where you can. Most importantly, don't neglect your life lessons that made you, who you are, and share your background with them. They need to see our true selves. Believe me when I say, that their faces lit up learning that I didn't come from a privileged background, and I work in a bank. My job there was to reassure them, that it is all possible, if they truly want it and work hard to achieve it. The event ended and I was buzzing full of good energy for a long time. It felt right, I grew as a person, I think we did a fantastic job. It was also inspiring for me to be called a role model. Therefore, as we enter the New Year, I take a moment to reflect while setting my new goals, one of them being: be a responsible role model - inspire our next generation to reach their dreams! Happy & Inspiring New Year! #inspiringgirls #genderstereotypes #rolemodels #doingwhatsright #nextgeneration #goalsetting #ifyoucanseeityoucanbeit #empoweringwomen

I love offering bonuses to women in my 10-week online course “Women Who Want To Invest in the Stock Market” It’s a client focused approach I learned at Goldman Sachs. Treat the client like they are the most important. It’s this unwavering dedication that cultivates lasting relationships. SURPRISE BONUS 🥳💃🏻 Often, a week after graduation, the momentum starts to slow down. The “inner villain”, who’s been defeated, slowly tries regaining control. I want to make sure we put a stop to this. Here’s what we’ll cover • 5 tips for when the stock market crashes • Pro tips to continue your momentum • Tie up loose ends if you’ve yet invest • Announce a 3-part bonus series on fear • Answer questions about Thought Partners Club If you’ve ever taken another course, share below what you love about receiving surprise bonuses that actually add value. #empoweredwomen #investing

It's no secret that our industry needs more diversity. Stifel is a firm that embraces fresh thinking and diverse perspectives. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gRRDuEJ. #choosestifel #wealthmanagement #missionviejo #southorangecounty #investing #financialservices #financialcareers #investment #financialplanning

~Blackstone's Taylor Swift ‘Alternatives Era’ Holiday video~ What a clever #Inclusion & #esg play by Blackstone brilliantly reflecting the company's culture and its ability to connect with contemporary pop culture trends. #mydaughterhasmademeaswiftie To those who have yet to view this, please see link below in the comments field. Since 2018, Blackstone has made these videos an annual tradition, allowing their executives to engage often including references to the firm's investments. (It has also previously featured a cameo by Reese Witherspoon) If I were part of the #genz or #millenials population, this is hands down a company I would have loved to work for…As a #genx, I will be pursuing external consultant opportunities! 😎 The video was distributed to employees, investors, financial advisers, and leaders of portfolio companies. It features senior staff lip-syncing to lyrics about the firm’s business, which created an effective humorous and engaging way to communicate with internal and external stakeholders. They even managed to remind the public that they are not to be confused with BlackRock NB: To those that may not be aware or in finance:  Blackstone and BlackRock are both prominent financial companies, but they differ in their core business focuses: Blackstone focuses more on private equity and alternative investment strategies, whereas BlackRock is centred around investment management and asset services. #esg #inclusion #deistrategy #esgstrategy #stakeholderengagement

It’s really a privilege to witness collaborators such as Janet Tiebout Hanson grow in their journey — and her recently published BROAD STREET: My Mostly Bullish Career at Goldman Sachs has set the bar high for us as entrepreneurs. When she and I worked to reshape 85Broads after the 2008 market crash, she showed me by example that there’s room at the table for more than one female leader and in our case that two female entrepreneurs were stronger and more capable than one. Her co-mentorship showed me what's possible. #entrepreneurs #mentors #leaders

I have been in #fintech #wealthtech most of my career. But I have never had the opportunity to work with such a talented group of women. Women who run huge weath businesses. Women who are innovating and developing cutting edge fintech platforms. Women who run massive mandates and strategies as asset and portfolio managers. Women who work hard to help clients be more productive and scale. Women who manage thousands of operational processes and team members. Women who bet on themselves to start new businesses where they see a need. What I love about working with them all is that we don’t ask each other “how we balance”. We don’t feel the need to talk about “how to be heard”. We talk about business (lots of it), life (because everyone has a big, messy one) and how we can help each other. Full stop. It is fun, it is full of laughter and frankly - it is magical.

Starting the week energized about the power of racial equity to transform business, and the world. Over the past year, we have seen a loss of some of the momentum for DEI, and racial equity specifically, in businesses and investing that gained so much visibility and impetus coming out of the events of 2020 and the clear understanding that there was much work to be done. This The NonProfit Times piece with Stephanie Rupp and Santhosh Ramdoss is an outstanding review of the progress made, the setbacks, and the opportunities to learn from the progress made in the genders investing movement that can benefit racial equity investing. Yet, it's important to remind ourselves that this is truly win-win for all businesses and investors. It's not only morally and values aligned as global citizens, but it is also clearly beneficial to businesses. As CIO Online notes that inclusive teams are 87% more productive than non-inclusive teams - yet Black founders only raised 0.48% of venture capital in the US. This extends to access to investing opportunities and breaking down barriers for people from under-represented communities to have a seat at the capital table and develop inter-generational wealth transfer opportunities. Marlon Thompson and Future Capital proved this, supporting 700 new investors over three years. Lise Birikundavyi, CFA and BKR Capital is a shining light for the opportunity to support the ecosystem on both sides of the table. It's time to double down, triple down, 10x our commitment to racial equity in business, our teams, and our investments. #equitableaccess #investingforthefuture #impactinvesting #businessforgood #techforgood #venturecapital #dei https://lnkd.in/ddzJq_AF

Beth Kowitt has written a powerful piece in Bloomberg about Goldman Sachs growing problem in promoting and retaining women in leadership roles. But this isn't just a pipeline problem. It's a reflection of a culture that systematically undervalues and undermines women's contributions. Goldman Sachs needs a systemic approach that goes beyond empty DEIBA commitments. To address this, the CEO and leadership team need a curiosity-driven approach. They must be willing to ask tough, uncomfortable questions about the biases and barriers that hold women back. This includes being curious about hiring practices performance metrics promotion criteria day-to-day experiences of women Taking intentional action to elevate women's voices showcase their achievements provide women with mentorship and sponsorship Holding male colleagues accountable for insidious behavior such as taking credit for the contributions of women talking over women in meetings undermining feedback from women Goldman Sachs has the opportunity to transform not just its own culture, but the entire financial services industry. Getting insights from women can help them set a new standard for leadership in the 21st century. #leadership #curiosity #goldmansachs #payequity

When David Solomon took the helm as CEO of Goldman Sachs over five years ago, he set an ambitious goal to elevate women within the company's senior ranks. However, a recent analysis by the Wall Street Journal reveals a concerning trend: approximately two-thirds of the women who were partners at the end of 2018 have either left Goldman Sachs or lost their partnership status, a stark contrast to the male partners' departure rate of just under half. Despite Solomon's intentions, no women currently lead a major division at Goldman Sachs, nor are any viewed as potential successors to Solomon. The firm's executive team includes only two women, both in non-revenue generating roles. This imbalance is particularly pronounced in Goldman's core investment banking and markets division, where numerous prominent female partners have departed due to perceived limitations on their career progression. Notable departures include Stephanie Cohen, who moved to co-head the consumer and wealth management business, and Beth Hammack, a top trader who transitioned to co-head global financing. Both faced significant challenges in their roles, with Cohen's division coming under fire for its strategy and Hammack eventually stepping down due to a lack of advancement opportunities. These departures emphasize a broader issue within Goldman Sachs, where women face barriers to advancement, often exacerbated by management decisions and corporate restructuring that disproportionately affect them. This situation is not unique to Goldman Sachs; other Wall Street firms also struggle with gender diversity at senior levels, though some, like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, have made more notable progress. Goldman Sachs maintains that the rate of partner departures aligns with historical norms, but the disproportionate impact on women, combined with ongoing criticisms from senior executives, suggests deeper systemic issues. The forthcoming dinner at Solomon's apartment, where he will address these concerns with female partners, underscores the urgency of addressing these challenges to ensure that Goldman Sachs can achieve its diversity goals and foster a more inclusive leadership environment. #GoldmanSachs #DiversityInFinance #WomenInLeadership #WallStreet #CorporateCulture #GenderEquality https://lnkd.in/eZvRxxUY