Mellody Hobson

Mellody Hobson is co-CEO of Ariel Investments — one of the largest Black-owned investment firms in America — and one of the most powerful women in corporate America. She serves as chair of the board of Starbucks, making her one of the few Black women to chair the board of a Fortune 500 company. Her TED Talk "Color Blind or Color Brave?" has been viewed millions of times and crystallized the argument that addressing race directly, not ignoring it, is the path to equity.

Born in Chicago in 1969, the youngest of six children raised by a single mother, Hobson grew up in financial instability — her family was sometimes evicted and had utilities shut off. She attended Princeton University, where she interned at Ariel Investments and found her calling. She joined Ariel full-time after graduation and rose to become president at 31, then co-CEO.

Hobson has been a tireless advocate for financial literacy in the Black community and for diversity in corporate leadership. She serves or has served on the boards of JPMorgan Chase, Estée Lauder, and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (her husband is George Lucas). She was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People and has used her platform to argue that economic inclusion is not charity — it's smart business. Ariel Investments manages over $15 billion in assets.