Yale School of Management - Ranji Nagaswami '86

"The values and teachings of Yale SOM remain an important touchstone in my life's journey. Many of my views about leadership, investing, human behavior and social entrepreneurship — subjects that define my passion and endeavors — trace back to the professors, friends, and leaders I have met at or through SOM. In no small measure, my decision to advise Mayor Mike Bloomberg's administration on New York City's pensions and investments reflects a core belief formed at SOM, that leaders who have achieved success in the private sector should look to play a broader role in society."

Ms. Nagaswami is chief investment advisor to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City. She directs the mayor’s office of pensions and investments, with responsibility to monitor and advise the five New York City retirement system boards and the New York City deferred compensation plan board on the performance and selection of investments and investment managers for all asset classes. The funds hold combined assets valued at more than $100 billion and cover more than 350,000 active employees and 275,000 retirees and employees.

Prior to joining the public sector, Ms. Nagaswami held executive and portfolio management positions during her 23-year career in the investment business at two world-class asset management firms. Ms. Nagaswami was previously chief investment officer (CIO) within the Blend Strategies team of AllianceBernstein L.P., with responsibility for the firm’s $20 billion strategic multi-asset portfolios and $85 billion blend equities strategies. She served from 2004 to 2008 as chief investment officer and a member of the executive board of AllianceBernstein Investments, the retail division of the firm where she was credited with leading the turnaround of the $180 billion global mutual fund business. From 2001 until 2004, Ms. Nagaswami was a senior portfolio manager of the Bernstein U.S. Value Equities team and a member of the U.S. Value Equities Investment Policy Group. Ms. Nagaswami joined Sanford C. Bernstein in 1999. From 1986 to 1999, she was at UBS Asset Management and its predecessor organizations, where she progressed from quantitative analyst to managing director and co-head of U.S. fixed income.

Ms. Nagaswami is a member of the Yale School of Management Advisory Board, the Yale University investment committee and the asset manager code of conduct advisory panel at the CFA Institute. She is a Henry Crown Fellow and Henry Crown Overseers board member at the Aspen Institute as well as a member of the North American Council of Ashoka, a global fellowship of social entrepreneurs. She was previously a trustee of Greenwich Academy and a member of the board of the Covenant House of New York. Ms. Nagaswami earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Bombay University in India and a MBA from the Yale School of Management, and is a chartered financial analyst.