Eka Zhao joined Bridgewater in 2018 as a portfolio associate and quickly rose to lead the Portfolio Generation team in Portfolio Implementation. In this role, Eka and her team are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day portfolio and trade outcomes generated by our systematic investment pipeline. They translate Bridgewater research views into desired positions and trades using our investment systems, with a deep understanding of portfolio design, risk controls, trading costs, and security selections.
Beyond her work within the Investment Engine, Eka serves as the co-head of the Bridgewater Asian Affinity Network (AAN). In this role, she leads initiatives focused on empowering and recognizing the AAPI community while supporting all diverse communities. In her Team Lead role, Eka advocates for increasing diverse representation in the candidate pool and mentors the next generation of investment professionals and underrepresented talent. She also helps ensure that the team’s developmental program is inclusive and collaborates with others to constantly evolve them through time. In addition, she regularly represents Bridgewater on panels and mentorship programs focused on developing underrepresented talent in the investment industry.
Her passion for skills-based volunteerism started when she first lived abroad in Canada at age of 8. The deliberate inclusion of local volunteers was the first inspiration to her later volunteering work focused on education, immigration, and economic empowerment. In college, she co-founded the Wellesley Investment Portfolio Initiative, and tutored children of low-income families in Boston's Chinatown community. She also served on the board of various student-run volunteer organizations, fundraising for initiatives that benefit marginalized groups who lack economic and social means.
Eka graduated with honors from Wellesley College, where she studied Mathematics and Economics. She was a recipient of the Wellesley Serves! Grant, and is a CFA charterholder.
Learn more about Eka’s recognition here: https://empower.involverolemodels.org/poll/2023-top-100-future-leaders/