Distinguished Speaker Series

Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, sits down with Bridgewater CEO Nir Bar Dea to discuss Africa’s economic trajectory and how it creates challenges and opportunities for global investors.

The Bridgewater community welcomed Gary Mendell, founder and CEO of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit focused on reversing addiction, for a conversation about mental health, substance use disorder, and ending stigma. Moderated by Chief Human Resources Officer Sarah Fass, the two shared personal stories and ways our communities can get involved to help those touched by this disease.

Hugh Evans, CEO & Co-Founder of Global Citizen, joined CEO Nir Bar Dea for a conversation on leading the world’s largest movement of citizens taking action to end extreme poverty.

Professor Yoshino returned to Bridgewater for a conversation about his new book, why he thinks cancel culture is failing us, and his perspective on one of the major obstacles to effective allyship: the fear of saying the wrong thing.

Justin G. Nelson, Co-Founder & President of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) joined Co-CEO Mark Bertolini for a conversation on the work that NGLCC is doing to support LGBTQ-owned businesses across the country.

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, former Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga spoke to our community about prioritizing people, the “decency quotient,” and navigating career decisions.

Rich Lesser relayed lessons learned from his leadership at BCG to advance agendas around sustainability and diversity and inclusion, and perspectives on what today’s corporate leaders face.

An Independent Director on Bridgewater’s Operating Board of Directors, Margo shared stories of big breaks throughout her career and advice particularly relevant to women working in underrepresented fields.

President of Barnard College and Independent Director on Bridgewater’s Operating Board of Directors discussed her career and the “spotlight” effect as part of Women’s History Month.

Dr. Lomax engaged in a fireside chat with Bridgewater’s Chief Diversity Officer, Alan Bowser, discussing Dr. Lomax’s personal story as well as UNCF’s mission to serve as a “talent machine.”

The Bridgewater community recently hosted Dr. Peter Singer, co-founder of The Life You Can Save, for a discussion on effective altruism and how donors can consider whether how they give is making the most positive change possible.

In partnership with Bridgewater’s Hispanic + Latinx Network, we welcomed Colombian statesman Luis Alberto Moreno for a dynamic conversation with his longtime friend, CEO David McCormick. As President of the Inter-American Development Bank from 2005 to 2020 and Colombia’s Ambassador to the United States prior to that, Moreno has spent decades working with stakeholders representing a wide range of interests and perspectives.

Paula Schneider brings a sense of service leadership to the c-suite as CEO of Susan G. Komen, where she is responsible for the strategy and day-to-day operations of the world’s largest breast cancer research portfolio with almost a billion dollars in funding to date.

Glennda Testone, the Executive Director of The LGBT Community Center of New York City, joined us this Pride Month to explore the topic of gender identity, the experiences of the transgender and nonbinary communities, and how to ensure inclusion for all members of our community.

To further explore dimensions of inclusion, our community recently gathered for a three-part series that further explored confidence. Featured in the series were co-authors of The Confidence Code, Claire Shipman and Katty Kay, as well as Bridgewater leaders who all shared advice on how to find the right balance of confidence for professional success.

In a recent talk with the Bridgewater community, the college president and distinguished cognitive scientist shared insights from her research on human performance across workplaces, athletics, academics, and more. Beilock emphasized the cognitive strain we place on ourselves when we worry about our own performance, and how a growth mindset and embracing failure can unlock potential in all of us.

With three decades in government service, culminating in a prominent role in the Obama administration, Andy Weber has dedicated his career to disrupting the rise of nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. Speaking with Senior Portfolio Strategist Jim Haskel as part of the Bridgewater Distinguished Speaker Series, Weber shed light on the skill and commitment necessary to counteract the metastization of geopolitical bad actors, the need for better bio-defenses, and how US leadership can ensure the COVID-19 pandemic is the last of its kind.

Morgan Stanley’s Vice Chairman of Global Wealth Management and Managing Director Carla Harris joined the Bridgewater community to take part in the firm’s celebration of Women’s History Month. Among her many pearls of wisdom, Harris encouraged the audience to cultivate forms of “currency” that each individual has the ability to control — one’s performance, relationships, and authenticity.

Afsaneh Beschloss shared reflections on her decades-long career in finance which has spanned leadership positions at many leading institutions, including RockCreek, where she is Founder and CEO.

The former commanding officer of SEAL Team TWO returned to Bridgewater to share his new book, “Never Enough,” and discuss leadership lessons from his experience behind enemy lines, as an advisor in two White Houses, and most recently, corporate boardrooms.

As a capstone to the firm's Black History Month celebration, Dr. Thomas spoke to the Bridgewater community about his passion for advancing Black excellence, recounting both personal experience and decades of research as a leading expert on organizational behavior.

As a former CEO, and now board member for Verizon, Nordstrom’s, and more, Shellye Archambeau’s advice and expertise is in high demand. In the latest installment of our Distinguished Speaker Series, the author of “Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers and Create Success on Your Own Terms” joined Bridgewater staff for a powerful conversation on courage, candor, and resilience.

Bridgewater’s Distinguished Speaker Series welcomed Stephen A. Schwarzman, Blackstone’s chairman, CEO, and co-founder. Schwarzman recounted his experience growing Blackstone from a mere idea to one of the world’s leading investment firms, the values he champions in his employees, and how he picks his philanthropic projects.

Bridgewater’s Distinguished Speaker Series welcomed Hollywood producer Brian Grazer. Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Grazer co-founded Imagine Entertainment with cinema legend Ron Howard in 1986 and is responsible for iconic titles like Splash, Apollo 13, and A Beautiful Mind.

As part of Bridgewater’s Distinguished Speaker Series in which changemakers share their expertise, Shamil Idriss, CEO of the global peacebuilding organization Search for Common Ground, joined Bridgewater staff for a conversation that covered the dynamics of conflict, the state of conflict in the world today, and peacebuilding approaches that anyone can apply to their own lives — including at home and in the workplace. The efforts of Search for Common Ground around the world earned it a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018.

The former CEO of Aetna visited Bridgewater where he encouraged an increased investment in healthcare for Americans, saying that it could “save our economy and our nation."

Bridgewater's Black Network strives to curate events and experiences designed to shed light on the identity, differences, and untold stories of African Americans at Bridgewater and beyond while also encouraging a sense of understanding and connection among the Bridgewater community. As part of a series of events open to all employees during Black History Month, Bridgewater Founder Ray Dalio interviewed longtime friend Geoffrey Canada — the founder of Harlem Children’s Zone, educator, and social activist featured in the film "Waiting For Superman."