Mellody Hobson

Mellody Hobson is Co-CEO and President of Ariel Investments, where she oversees firm-wide strategy, growth, and the business operations that support Ariel’s research and portfolio teams. In her leadership role she focuses on long-term planning, governance, and expanding investor education initiatives that make financial markets more accessible. Colleagues credit her with lending clarity to complex investment ideas and building organizational systems that sustain both performance and purpose.

Beyond the firm, she is a nationally recognized advocate for financial literacy and investor education, regularly appearing as a contributor and analyst for CBS News and sharing weekly money tips on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, while also writing for outlets such as Black Enterprise. She has used that platform to spotlight retirement-savings disparities and to promote research on investing behavior among underrepresented communities, translating data into practical guidance for individual investors.

A graduate of Princeton University, she has been honored for her leadership and civic engagement, including election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and recognition on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People. She also serves in nonprofit and cultural leadership roles—having held board positions with organizations such as DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. and the George Lucas Education Foundation—and chairs community programs like After School Matters, reflecting a long-standing commitment to education and equitable opportunity.

• Princeton University- A.B.

• Honorary Doctorate Degree
• The 100 Most Influential People

• DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.
• George Lucas Education Foundation
• Investment Company Institute Board of Governors
• JPMorgan & Chase Co
• Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
• Starbucks Corporation
• Sundance Institute
• The Chicago Public Education Fund
• The Economic Club of Chicago
• The Rockefeller Foundation

• After School Matters