Episode 44: Going Beyond Pouring the Water – the Remarkable Journey of Meredith Jones

Our podcast is all about the journey, not the destination and today’s special guest has dedicated her professional journey to areas she deeply cares about as she is an inspiration to many throughout the world with her research, writing, and speaking, all in her unique style of communication, which is clear, valuable, and humorous. Meredith Jones is a well-known expert in the investment industry with over 20 years of experience. Who else can claim a successful TedTalk, being an award-winning author, testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, and creating the first Women in Alternative Investments Hedge Fund index? She was also a regular columnist for Institutional Investor and Market Watch. She won’t tell you this, but we will – she is a rock star in our industry with a unique talent and ability to make others laugh while they are learning. Currently Managing Director and ESG Practice Leader at EY, and Founder of MJ Alternative Investment Research, Meredith is a board member of Rock the Street, Wall Street, which offers programs to educate and equip high school girls with the skills to succeed financially and potentially pursue a career in finance. She was previously a Partner, Global Head of Responsible Investing at Aon, and held senior roles at Rothstein Kass, Barclays Capital, PerTrac Financial Solutions, and Van Hedge Fund Advisors. She is the author of Women of the Street: Why Female Money Managers Generate Higher Returns (And How You Can Too) which provides insight into the behavioral, biological, and cognitive edge female investors can provide.  Her research on emerging managers (initiated in 2006) and women and minority-owned funds created new investment categories. It has changed the way investors and money managers behave - both in the way investors allocate and how money managers market to and seek investors. On today’s episode, Meredith shares more about her personal and professional journey, being a strong female voice in a male-dominated industry, and why the combination of intelligence and humor makes her such an effective communicator.