The annual Women’s Initiative Seminar – one of Fortress’s largest Diversity & Inclusion events – is spearheaded by senior leadership with the goal of bringing together women at all levels across the company.
The 2023 Seminar, hosted in Manhattan, centered around the theme of Women Investing in Themselves, and aimed to provide attendees with actionable insights on how they can take control of their financial futures. More than 100 women from Fortress offices across the US and Europe joined the event in person.
The day’s keynote session featured Jennifer Taboada, a member of the BlackRock Business Consulting team and a high-profile specialist on financial planning topics including behavioral finance, women and investing, changing client demographics and financial literacy. Jennifer emphasized the importance of aligning investments with personal values.
During a lively question and answer session, Jennifer helped attendees understand the importance of building a strong foundation for wealth, with a complete picture – from investing and saving for children’s college education, to wills, inheritance and trust documents. As women are set to inherit a majority of $30 trillion in intergenerational wealth in the US over the next 10 years, Jennifer noted it’s important to plan, plan early, and understand how life events might impact those plans.
Following the seminar and formal Q&A, attendees were invited to debrief and socialize over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, with senior Fortress women making introductions to facilitate new connections.
Lizzie Trull, a Corporate Strategy Analyst who attended the event, was inspired by Jennifer’s advice. “Jennifer helped me understand how important it is for women to take a proactive approach to their personal finance – especially as our lives can change so much with events like the start of a family. The seminar gave me practical examples of steps I can take to understand and manage my finances, both now and in the future.”
The Fortress Women’s Initiative regularly brings women together for events featuring high-profile speakers, and provides opportunities to build relationships across offices, functions and levels. The Women’s Initiative drives a multitude of programs across the firm focused on professional development, fostering connections, encouraging organic mentorship and shaping recruiting strategy.
Fortress seeks to build a competitive advantage and enhance the well-being and effectiveness of its team by ensuring a breadth of backgrounds, experiences and knowledge across the organization. Fortress is committed to cultivating, maintaining and benefiting from a culture that supports its talented professionals and creates an inclusive corporate environment.